Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-11-11
Colombia and Panama.

Independently Of Colombias rejec-
ton of the canal treaty. Panama had
many reasons for seeding. Never at
any time did any strong ties bind the
department OF Panama to the remain
der OF Colombia. Panama's position
was anomalous in this respect. All
who are familiar with isthmian affairs
agree that it was in touch with the
republic a. scarcely any point except
that it shared the national misfortunes
and bore a heavy part of the burden
OF taxation.
Panama was not even a self-govern-
ing state. L: was called a state until
1855. since which time it had been
ranked merely as a province. one Of
the nine departments of the republic
whose government is entirely central
lied at BOgota-
Geographically and geOlogically II
was not a part OF the republic. The
isthmus belongs geographically TO
North America and il is treated by
scientific men in this relation. In his
Universal Geography" ReelHs treats
the department OF Panama in his seq
ond volume on North America and re-
serves the remainder of Colombia for
his first volume on South America.
Sieyers. the German authority on
South America, says that geographic
ally the isthmus belongs 10 Central
America. Hill. our own geologist. says
that the department OF Panama is
typical section Of Central America.
Many other authorities might be
quoted TO the same effect.
Panama has no communication with
the rest OF the republic. except by sea.
The south part of the isthmus is a
painless wilderness inhabited by IN
friendly Indians. and Colombia has
generally le5 them alone. The Colon
bians have never thought of uniting
Panama with the rest of the country
BY a safe highway or railroad. 1t takes
a month IN cross the mountains from
Bcgota and reach Panama by way Of
the little Pacific port of Buena Ven
tura-
Panama's commercial relations with
the rest Of the republic are insignifi-
can't The reason is because the 18TH
mus is a panhandle remote from such
business activity and enterprises as
the South American part of the repub
lie possesses. The exports OF Colombia
never touch the isthmus. but are sent
c.
the Venezuelan port of Maracaibo.
None Of the imports comes To the 18TH
mus except these that are locally con
sumed.
The prosperity of the isthmus de-
ponds not on the material condition of
the rest Of the country. but upon its
own importance in international trade.
which brings in money and creates a
demand for labor and for local pro
ducts. The isthmus fiourishes only
when business is lively across it. OF
when thousands Of wOrkmen are dig
ging on the canal. The towns of Pan
anna and Colon are little more than
forwarders Of international commerce.
Their well-belng depends upon foreign
nations.
Colombia conferred no benefits upon
the isthmus In the way of development,
business or education: but, rome the
less. its hand rested heavily upon Pan
anna. II loaded the department with
burdens rrievous TO be borne. Many
q the conscript soldiers who fougat
Tor the government in the recent pro-
longed civil war came from Panama.
A gentleman who was in Colon during
the war wrote that il was pitiful to
zee these poor boys. mere children, a
great number of whom were shot down
for the cause OF the government. which
they defended. merely because they
had been forced away from their moth
ers on the isthmus and compelled to
shoot"
The fact is that the inhabitants of
ne isthmus had the privilege of paying
the most onerous taxes to the general
government and Of suffering from the
frequently recurring revolutions; and
they got little or nothing for their
money and sacrifice. The Bcgota gov
eminent pOcketed the heavy annual
tax or the railroad concession and
squeezed the isthmiaa orange dry.