The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-16
uuREATs OF WAR DO NOT ALARM
THE PANAMAIANS.
BY INTERVENING JUNGLES
THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM
COLOMBIAN FORCES.

Panama, Nov. 15.-President Mario
ouins statement, as conveyed in a
cablegram to Gen. Plaza, president OF
Ecuador, that Generals Reyes, Cabale-
ros Ospina and Holguin are now
marching on the isthmus to suppress
the isthmian traitors" has set the
entire population of the isthmus laugh
ing Protected by the impenetrablh-
~ of the land and the many leagues
Of coast line separating the isthmus
from Colombia, and confident that the
1rrited States intend to prevent the
landing of Colombian soldiers from
the sea, the isthmians feel that their
security is absolute.
The loss of the isthmian territory
IS. of course, a tragedy for Colombia.
The government at Bogota is probably
IGNORANT of the attitude taken by the
government of the United States dur
ing the last two weeks. In frenzy
to save it's face" to appease an angry
and disappointed populace and to sat
isfv the public demand for some APP
pearance of activity and an attempt
tn save the honor and the territorial
integrity of Colombia, the government
is no doubt promising and threatening
to send forces to the coast and TO
take other aggressive steps The rea-
lization by the Colombian government
of the impossibility of sending troops
Ia the isthmus would not necessarily
deter it from taking these steps, which,
as already stated, are intended mere
" to satisfy the people.
Only as a Blind.
Well informed people on the isthmus
believe that the Colombian govern
ment is going through all these forms
of organizing expeditions not merely
for the foregoing reasons, but owing TO
the necessity of forestalling or OF weak
ening the threatened revolutionary out
break in Bogota.
The growing feeling against president
Marroquin is believed to be due TO
the fact that he did not show suttl-
cient determination to erect the ratl-
fication of the canal treaty. Whlch
would have saved the isthmus to Co
lombia and because he appointed Gen.
Obaldia governor of the Department
of Panama after Obaldia had declared
that he would remain Colombian
if the treaty were ratified, but that
otherwise he would only be Pana-
manian Gov. Obaldia was born in
Chiriqui, in the state of Panama.
Miners and others familiar with the
coast on both sides of the isthmus de-
clare that any attempt to march an
expeditionary army from any part OF
Colombia to the isthmus would be flu
tile Both coasts consist of impassa-
BILE jungles and swamps and rivers,
without towns or roads or any means
for the provisioning of an army. Inc
members of the junta have not the
slightest fear that any such expedition
will be attempted, and they receive the
way nrt- Of nXnpdifinnG with
nimity.
''Broad" Interpretation.
What is described here in Panama
"as the United States" broad interpre-
taton of the clause of the treaty Of
1916 regarding the protection of traI-
&c across the isthmus'' is deemed ample
for the prevention of transportation of
troops by sea, and of consequent hos
tilities.
The Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany, a British concern plying between
Panama and Buena Ventura, has a
clause in it's contract with the Colom-
bian government which says it must
under normal conditions" transport
government troops. 1t, however, can
be said authoritatively that the COM
pany will not transport Colombian
troops to the isthmus under
present conditions, and that 1t
has not been asked by the Colombian
government to do SO. Other vessels
which bring troops from any Colon
hian port for any point in the repuo-
lie of Panama will be prevented by the
naval authorities from disembarklng
them in case they insist on so doing
after warning has been given.
Revenues Can support 1t.
The revenues of the new republic, II
economically administered, promise to
meet all expenses. These revenues con-
sist of a 10 per cent ad Valorem duty
on imports. slaughter house taxes,
liquor licenses and similar sources of
income, as well as the yearly sums
derived from those holding monopoly
OF the tobacco business, from the gam
bling privileges at Panama and Colon,
and from the lottery. These sources OF
revenue do not include $1,000 in gold
per week formerly paid by the Panama
railroad Company United states
concern, to the Bogota government,
which retained $4,000, giving to the
state of Panama only $500.
The Colombian government, however,
during the recent financial distress, ar
ranged with the railroad company for
an advance of the weekly payments
Tor period covering several years;
therefore the new republic cannot count
upon this source of revenue.
The government of the new republic
realizing the necessity of keeping its
- Iy Al a COnLenIeQ cOnQHlOn, is paw
ing Its officers and soldiers with the
utmost promptness
Cen Obaldia appeared on the streets
OF Panama yesterday for the first time
since Nov. 8, when the independence
OF the isthmus was proclaimed. He
was greeted cordially by friends and
acquaintances.
II is generally asserted that the 18TH
mlans eventually win insist on the
separation of church and state, as sep
aratlon was one of the measures de-
5Hdhded by the Liberal party in the last
revolution, and the population of the
Isthmus is largely Liberal.
Inc question of the admission of
Chlnese Is seriously discussed by the
press and other quarters, the consen-
Gus OF opinion appearing to be opposed
20 such admission.
Inc Junta has invited designs for a
mammalian coat-of-arms.
Gudger Has Arrived.
United States Consul General Gud-
ser arrived here this afternoon and
was met at the railway station by
sreat number of persons, including
ene members of the provisional gov
ernnent army officers and other
prominent persons. Gen. Obaldia was