The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-01-05

BrpuBH pOftlOHS OF Venezueid ana Co
lomDia. 1ahey had informed him that
4 was the general belief that the revo-
luton might break out at any moment.
I'm view OF all these facts says the
president, Il derccsed the navy depart
meni to issue instruction such us would
insure your having ships within easy
reach of the isthmns In the event Of
need arising"
Then on November 2. when II was
| evi lent the outbreak was imminent In
strnctions had been sent TO the COM
inanders Of the Boston, Nashville and
Dixie. TO maintain free and uninter-
ruEed transit. II interruption is threat
ened by armed force. occupy the line
of railroad Prevent landing Of any
armed force with hostile intent, either
government or insurgent, at any point
within 50 miles Of Panama"
on November3. Commander John Hub
bard OF the Nashville, had reported
to th. navy department that 400 Co
Iombian troops from cartagena had
landed In Colon and that the situation
was most critical. The president then
quotes from Commander Hubbard's re-
port on November to the navy de-
partment, in which the commander
said the occurrences OF November .
had amounted 20 practically the MAX
Ing OF war against the United States
by the officers In command OF the CO.
lomhian troops in Colon"
The United States consul had re-
ceived notice from Colonel Torres to
the effect that II the Colombian officers
Generals Tobal and Amaya, who had
been seized In Panama on November
Is by the independents. were not re-
leased by o'clock he. Torres. would
onen Are on the town OF Colon AMI
Kill every United States citizen in the
\ place. Commander Hubbard then re-
lates the landing of the marines under
command OF Lieutenant Commander
wItzei. as told in the press dispatches
AT the time, and the threatening atti-
tude Of the native soldiers while the
United States marines were entrenched
In the railroad company's sheds, where
our citizens had taken refuge. Com
mander Hubbard told also of refusing
to allow Superintendent Shaler, Of the
Panama railroad. to transport troops
for either side. The president contin-
ues:
"Thls plain official account OF the oc-
cu~rences Of November thows that
instead OF there having been too much
provision by the American government
for the maintenance Of order and the
protection OF life and property on the
isthmus. the orders for the movement
of the American warships had been
too long delayed; so long. in fact, that
there were but 20 marines and sailors
available to land and protect the lives
OF American men and women. It was
only the coolness and the gallantry
with which this little band OF men
wearing the American uniform faced
10 times their number OF armed foes,
bent on carrying out the atrocious
threat of the Colombia commander,
that prevented the murderous catas-
trophe. At Panama, when the revo-
luton broke out. there was no Ameri-
can man of war and no American
troops or sailors. At Colon, Command
er Hubbard acted with entire impair
tiality toward both sides, preventing
any movement whether by the Colom-
blans or the Panamans which would
tend to produce bloodshed.
! The president then quotes from an
articles in the New York Evening Post,
under date of Panama, December 8. in
which in an interview a native Pana-
man is quoted as saying
eve were willing to encounter the
Colombian troops at Colon and fight 1t
out, but the commander of the United
States cruiser Nashville, forbid Super
intendent Shaler to allow the railroad
to- transport troops for either party"
1T clearly appears" says the presi-
dent that the fact that there was no
bloodshed on the isthmus was directly
due--and only due--to the prompt and
flrm enforcement by the United States
Of is traditional policy During the
past 10 years revolutions and attempts
at revolution have succeeded one an
other with monotonous regularity on
the isthmns, and again and again
United States sailors and marines have
been landed as they were landed in
this instance and under similar instruc-
tons to protect the transit, One of
n,asa ra,oiutions rasulted IN three