New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-23
THE PANAMA REPUBLIC.
Plans of ReUoIutioniSts Cr0zCned
1Cith Success.

FanaIna early on October 81 announcing the ad-
lournment' sine die, OF the special session OF the
Colombian Congress and the definite failure OF
the HayHerTan Treaty. This news was no
sooner received than the conspirators gathered
In the parlor Of the residence Of DR.. Arnador
Inc crux of the situation had been reached
ana 1t was the consensus of opinion that If the
| blow for transisthInian canal under American
ownership. and, incidentally. for Panaman indie
| pendence was to be dealt at all. il should be
dealt at once.
| 1t was decided to take the leap toward indie
| pendence on November 4. The plan was to turn
out the garrison in Panama at $50 o'clock ON
the morning Of that day. and send it marching
with bands playing through the streets, to paste
up printed copies OF the declaration OF indie
| pendence Orators were to accompany the SOL
diers to harangue the crowd which would gather
and it was expected that by daylight Panama
would be in a ferment Of excitement, when II
was planned to hold a mass meeting in the
Cathedral Plaza, and. with the people thor
oughly aroused. proclaim the independence.
Fate threatened however to upset all of the
plans Of the conspirators Miss Ossa had COM
pleted the dag in regard to the making of which
there Is separate story. There was no longer
any occasion for secrecy about the plans, and
the entire isthmus was alive with the rumOrs OF
secession Everybody at this time was aware
that the plan was to be attempted and at the
meeting Of the original band of conspirators
held on the evening of November q in the Office
OF the electric hghtn g company in Panama it
was agreed that there should be no drawing
back. and that the republic should be launched
the second morning following. Dismay took the
place Of confidence. however. on the morning Of
November 3. when the Colombian gunboat Car
tagena steamed into Colon. having on board $50
Colombian soldiers. Back of the arrival Of this
ship there is a story the details Of which are
not clear.
COLOMBIA WAITED TOO LONG.
It is stated that when. the talk Of secession
became open. some four or five days before the
revolution took place. Jayiaer Janguito the
catholic Bishop stationed at Panama teIe-
graphed information Of the conspirators' plans
10 the government at Bogota- This charge is
denied by Bishop Janguito, but it's accuracy is
insisted upon by those who are in the secret
Of the details Of the secession. Whether the
charge be true false. it is certain that Bogota
had full and complete information in advance
OF the Pananan proposition to secede: but the
spirit Of manana, with which the whole Of
Central and South America is afflicted. proved
fatal to the interests of the Colombian govern
nnent. She started to lock the door after the
horse had been stolen Had the Cartagena ar
rived on November 2 the revolution would never
have taken place As it was it came very near
an abortive attempt, for the conspirators, all ex-
cept Amador, halted when the arrival OF the
Cartagena was telegraphed to this city.
There was good reason for this indecision, for
the garrison at Panama numbered only two hun
6red men. and would have been no match for
the force delivered by the Cartagena at Colon
So accurately had Colombia discounted the
plans Of the conspirators that she was prepared
To hall
would have been the penalty forN the movers in
the enterprise. On board the Cartagena was
General Pompiio Gutierrez who bore a decree
appointing him Governor OF the Department OF
Panama in place Of jose Domingo de Obaldia
who was Unjustly suspected at Bogota Of being
implicated in the plan for secession Accom-
panytng Gutierrez were forty-two officials,
clerks and others, the plan being for the troops
on the Cartagena to arrest Obaldia, install
Gutierrez in the Governors palace. and then
turn out Of Office every man connected with the
former administration, substituting in his place
trusted Colombian, who could be relied upon
to show no leniency in dealing with the Pana-
mans. The soldiers sent on the gunboat were
10 do this work and were then to relieve the
garrison at Panama, which is considered the
flower of the Colombian army. The majority
Of the in the Panama garrison were
cruited in the southern departments Of the Re
public Of Panama, but they have been stationed
here SO long as TO have become Panamans In
fact They have married here. Nearly every one
has some little business enterprise to swell his
income. They have been paid (when paid at alp
in Colombian silver. and are entirely satisfied
with their lot, caring little for anything except
opportunity to remain here.
It was this desire to be kept in Panama that
eased the way for the secessionists to securs the
arrnvIs suDpOrt for some weeks befOre The plan
for independence assumed definite shape it
intimated to General Huertas, commander Of
the garrison. that his battalion to be trans
ferred TO BeranQuila, on the Caribbean coast Of
Colombia. This meant that the men were to be
taken from their homes and sent to a part Of
the republic where their arrearages OF pay and
current wages could be satisfied with the worth
less paper currency which is printed by the MILL
ions in Bogota and without regard to stability
Of value The men vera accordingly ripe for re-
VOLT and their support was secured by the Sc
cessionists upon the promise 10 pay up the
rearages due them, TO pay them steadily in the
future under the republic and to keep them in
Panama. This promise has been kept, the
amount already distributed among the men Of
this garrison aggregating more than 100000.
COLONEL sHALER's DIPLOMACY
But in laying this plan 10 insure the continu-
ance Of Panama as department Of the Co
Iombian government Bogota counted without es-
timating the adroitness OF the Americans on the
Colon side Of the isth1nus. The troops landed
from the Cartagena on the morning OF Novern-
Der 3. and demand was Immediately made by
General Tovar, who was in command upon
Colonel ]. s. Shaler. general superintendent OF
the Panama Railroad. for transportation for the
entire body across the isthmus. Colonel Shaler
most diplomatic in his handling of the situ-