Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-11-18
RECOGNIZES PANAMA.
UNITED STATES TREATS WITH
THE NEW RsPuBLIC.
American Consul Told to Enter Into
Relations with New State - Colon
Taken Without Observation-Disclosures
Now independent.

Now Inde pendent.
The United States government on Fri
day instructed its ENJOYS to recognize
the new republic of Panama. The fol-
lowing telegram was sent by the State
Department to Mr. Ehrnan, the acting
Consul General of the United States at
Panama:
''The people of Panama have by an
apparently unanimous movement dis
solved their political relations with the
republic of Colombia aad assumed their
independence. When you are satisfied
that a de facto government, republican
In form and without substantial opposi-
ton from its own people, has been es-
tablished in the State of Panama, you
will enter into relations with il as the
responsible government of the territory
and look to it for all due action TO pro-
tect the persons and property of citi-
zens of the United States, and to keep
open the isthman transit in accordance
with the obligations of existing treaties
governing the relations of the United
States to that territory"
Immediately afterward an instruction
the United States Minister at Bogota.
Colon Joins Panama.
The Colombian troops have evacuated
Colon and the flag of the new republic
of Panama is now flying over every part
of the isthmus.
Col. Torres, the Colombian command
err, after a conference with the revolu-
tionary leaders, seeing that the situation
was hopeless, agreed to embark his force
on the royal mail steamer Orinoco for
Cartagena. A special train from Pan
anna brought Gen. Tovar who also sail
ed on the 0rinoeo
Half an hour after the sailing of the
Ornoco the United States auxiliary
cruiser Dixie having on board battalion
of $50 marines, arrived in the harbor
The people of Colon are jubilant. The
flag of the new republic flies from the
railway stations at Gatun and Bohio Sol
dado, near Colon. The municipal coun-
Gil of Colon has notified the provisional
government at Panama of its adherence
to the new republic
Gen. H. o. Jeffries, a graduate of
West Point, has been appointed com
mander of the Pacific flotilla by the pro-
visional government.
1t was arranged Wednesday that the
government troops should withdraw to
the outskirts of the town and they did so
during the night. Thursday morning,
however, Col. Torres marched the troops
to the center of the town, which caused
a landing of American bluejackets The
bluejackets were barreaded behind bales
of cotton in front of the bank and the
railroad building. The commander of the
Nashville distributed about fifty rifles
to private citizens, who with the blue
jackets guarded the barbados.
Much anxiety prevailed all day until
/ Col. Torres agreed to embark his troops
for Cartagena. 1t was recognized that
the crew OF the Nashville would be quite
inadequate to cope with the situation
ashore should serious disturbances occur
and the arrival of the Dixie was anxious
~ awaited
As soon as he arrived Commander De
lano landed an adequate force of ma
rines from the Dixie and the bluejackets
who landed from the Nashville re-en-
barked.
Recognizing Panama.
In deciding upon the course taken
with regard to the new republic of Pan
anna the president and his advisers are
not without the guidance of historic pre-
cedents. The question of granting recog-
milton to new nations created by insur-
rection and secession has come up sew
e.al times. especially in connection with
South and Central American affairs, and
the principles followed in these cases are
fairly well defined.
So long ago as 1916 Secretary Adams
of the State Department laid down the
general principle that a nation founded
by revolution is entitled to recognition
when its independence is established as
a matter Of fact, SO as to leave the
chance of the opposite party to recover
their dominion utterly desperate" The
same principle has been elaborated by
various American Secretaries of State,
one of the clearest expressions on the
subject being that of Secretary Living
ston in 1888 ut has been the principle
and the invariable practice of the United
States" he wrote, ito recognize that as
the legal government of another nation
which by it's establishment in the actual
exercise of political power might be sup
posed to have received the express or i'm
piled assent of the people" Similarly,
writing as to the recognition of Texas in
1887, Secretary Forsyth said: THE indie
pendence of other nations has always
been regarded by the United States as
a question of .'ct merely and that of ev-
cry people has been invariably recognized
by them whenever the actual enjoyment
of it was accompanied by satisfactory
evidence of their power and determine
ton permanently and effectually to mnin-
tain it, Affirmations to the same eff
feet may be found III the public docu-
ments of a considerable number of the
Secretaries of State down to the time of
Evarts, Blaine and Frelinghuysen.
The Panama insurgents have proclaim
ed a new government and are in possess
sion in the cities of Panama and Colon.
From the latter city the Colombian
troops sailed away after clash with the
American marines landed from the Nash
vile had been narrowly averted. Appar-
entity the rcvOlutionists are now in full
possession of the territory of the new
republic. The Panama people seem to
have set up an actual government, exer-
cising powers Of sovereignty with the
consent Of the people.