Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-05

emergency. The presence of the 400
Colombian government troops at Colon
makes the situation there at present
more difficult than on the Panama side.
If the continue to refuse to surrender,
and maintain possession of Colon. it
will probably oblige the United States
to take temporary possession of the
railway again. as traffic cannot be
maintained with one end of the line in
possession of the government forces
and the other in the hands OF the reyo-
lutionists. The effect of such seizure
of the road would be to prevent the
movement of any body of troops carry
ing arms from one side Of the isthmus
to the other.
The persons who have engineered
the revolution have so far succeeded in
concealing the exact measure of their
powers and responsibilities, but, last
evening. some cabled inquiries came to
the state department from men who
stood very high in the business world
of Panama, asking if the United States
government would extend recognition
to the new state if the present move
ment was successful. The inquiries
did not come in such form as to Justify
an official answer and it is said that it
is not the policy of this government to
commit itself in such cases.
The invariable rule as to recogntions in
cases of revolutions is to recognize de fac
to conditions, and if the United States
consular offices at Panama and Colon re-
port that there is an actual working gov
eminent in possession of the isthmus they
will be allowed to do business with it.
A point has been made under the trea-
ty of 1916, the United States guarantees
the rights of the sovereignty and proper
ty of Colombia on the isthmus But at
tention is now called to the fact that this
treaty was made with New Grenada, a
nation of which Colombia formed only a
fraction. and there is nothing to prevent
the United States government from rec
oGnzing further subdivisions of the orig
inal territory of Grenada. This conclu-
sion may have an important bearing on
the future of the canal project, as indicat-
ing that the United States is not abso-
lutely bound to make a treaty with Co
lomba alone if it wishes to open a canal
Senator Culom. chairman of the Senate
committee on foreign relations, is much
interested in the news of the revolution
at Panama. lie says he would be very
glad if the revolutionists should establish
Il government in order that the United
States might recognize it, negotiate
treaty and proceed with the construction
of the canal. The senator thinks that
the Colombian government has attempted
a high procedure with the United
States in rejecting the treaty SO favorable
to Colombia and in making which the
United States granted more concessions
than Colombia had right to expect
During the day telegram was re
ceived at the state department from the
New York management of the Panama
Railroad Co. stating that the property
of that company was in danger and
asking for protection. In addition
message came from the Gable Com
pany saying in effect that there was no
Geographic communication for points in
Colombia outside of Panama and Colon
by way of the sthgnus. 1t is assured
that the revolutionitst have cut the in
land communications so as to prevent
the government at Rpgota from obtain
ing knowledge as to what is happening
on the isthmus and it is expected that
the effect Will be to embarras the Co
lombian government in its military
In case of emergency 800
or more marines distributed along the
coast could be spared for SER
vice on the isthmus. and should arise
necessary would be COM
pleted making practically the entire
force available. for duty in Panama.
DIR. Thmomas I1erran. the Colombian
nharge, is as yet without official advices
from the isthmus or Hogota, concerning
the revolution.
The Colombian warship Bogota has
400 tons displacement, carries a fairly
heavy sheathing of armor and a hat
terry of one 14-pOunder. six 6-poundcrs,
ana two machine rapid fire guns. She
IS now commanded by n Colombian.
The Cartha gena at Colon is 4 warshir
bought from the Sultan of Morocco, and
IS in every way superior to the Bogota.