The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-05
United States Vice Consul Is Instruct
ed tn Enter Protest Against vio-
1ation of international Law.
DAY OF FERMENT at COLON
AMERICAN MARINES LAND, But ARE
RECALLED At NIGHT.
Situation "A Delicate One for the State
to the Gunboat Nashville.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4-The State De-
partment to-day received prompt request
from the representatives OF the revolutions
ary government at Panama that the United
States recognize the new state OF Panama,
but pending official advices from our con-
sular officers at Panama that a new gov
ernment has been established and is de
facto government the State Department
declined to commit itself. However. atten-
ton was called TO the fact that it is the
invariabIe policy of the United States 10
deal with the de facto government in any
country. This statement is taken as favor
able to recognition should the new Panama
government have an active existence.
Early this morning received
of the shelling Of Panama by the Colom-
bian gunboat Bogota, and instructions
were cabled at once to our vice consul there
to protest against this bombardment, while
the commander of the cruiser Boston was
directed to prevent the Bogota resuming
fire. No notice given. required by
international law, OF the bombardmert. IL
early became apparent that this govern
ment intended to take active steps to pro-
tect life and property on the isthmus and
to take advanced position. Instructions
their way TO the isthmus. already there.
to resort to any necessary measures to pre-
vent bloodshed.
The situation at the two ends of the rail-
way, Panama and Colon, is anomalous. and
late tonight it developed that the Colon
situation is the result OF plans OF the Navy
Department miscarrying. The dispatches
to the Nashville. which should have reached
Nov. 2 were intercepted and were not re-
ceived by Commander Hubbard until after
the Colombian gunboat Cartagena arrived
at Colon with 500 Colombian troops aboard.
when it was too late to prevent her en-
trance to the harbor. The execution OF the
original scheme would have eliminated the.
Cartagena from the situation at Colon. and
the present unfortunate complications
would have been avoided.
Tomorrow it is expected further efforts
will be made on the part of the new gov
ernment of Panama to obtain recognition
at the hands OF the United States.
The Colombian flag still flies over the
prefecture The flag OF the new republic
has already made it's appearance in Colon.
A point has been made that under the
treaty of 1916 the United States guarantees
the rights OF the sovereignty and property
OF Colombia on the isthmus But attention
is now called TO the fact that this treaty
was made with New Granada. a nation OF
which Colombia formed only a fraction.
and there is nothing TO prevent the United
States government from recognizing fur
ther subdivisions OF the original territory
of Granada. This conclusion may have an
important bearing on the future OF the ca
nal project, as indicating that the United
States is not absolutely bound to make a
treaty with Colombia alone IL IL wishes 10
| open a canal.
Senator Cullom. chairman OF the Senate
committee on foreign relations, is much
interested in the news OF the revolution at
| Panama. He said he would be very glad IL
the revoutionists should establish a gov
ernment in order that the United States
might recognize IL, negotiate a treaty and
proceed with the construction OF the canal.
| The senator thinks the Colombian govern
ment has attempted a high-handed proce-
dure with the United States In rejecting 9
treaty so favorable TO Colombia and In
making which the United States granted
more concessions than Colombia had q
| right to expect
During the day telegram was received
| at the State Department from the New York
management OF the Panama Railway Conn
pany stating that the property OF that COM
pany was i'm danger and asking for protec-
/ ton. In addition a message came from the
| cable company saying In effect that there
was no telegraphic communication for
points I'm Colombia outside OF Panama and
Colon by way OF the isthmus. Ii Is assumed
that the revolutionists have cut the inland
communications so as 20 prevent the gov-
| ernment at Bogota from obtaining knowi-
edge as to what is happening on the isthmus
and II is expected that the effect will be TO
embarrass the Colombian government I'm its
military movements.
There are at the stations named on the
Atlantic coast approximately the following
numbers Of marines: Norfolk. 300; League
Island, 800; New York. 800: Washington.
500: Boston. 200: Portsmouth. ~. IL. 100: An
napolis. go. In case of emergency 500 or
more OF these could be spared for service
on the isthmus and should a greater cmer-
gency arise arrangements necessarily would
be completed making practically the entire
force available for duty I'm Panama.
The Colombian wRrship B0gota was
bought by DR.. Herran. the Colombian
charge. In Seattle. Wash. more than a year
ago. and with an American officer In COM
mand was armed, equipped and sent down
to the isthmian waters for use on the Pacific
side She has l.so0 tons displacement. car.
ries a fairly heavy sheathing OF armor and
a battery OF one contemporaries. six
FOUNDER and two machine rapid fire guns
She Is now commanded by Colombian.
The Cartagena at Colon Is a warship bought
| .coNTINTrtrp ON PAGE & cor a.