Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-26

ince and added a new state to the fam
lily of nations.
Dr. Manuel Amador, the first presi-
dent of the new republic, is seventy
years old, a physician by profession
and a native of Cartagena, Colombia.
He was one of the leaders in the revo-
tionary movement which led to the in
dependence of Panama last November,
and in fact to him more than to any of
his associates was due the success of
the undertaking. The story of his
part in the revolution is as follows:
When on Oct. 81 of last year the
Colombian congress adjourned without
ratifying the treaty with the United
States affairs had already progressed
rapidly on the isthmus. Seven men,
all interested for business reasons in
the construction of the canal, had
about finished the work of organizing
a business revolution. They were
Tomas Arias, Arrange, Arosemena, Dr.
Amador, Ricardo Arias, F. Boyd and
Obarrio All had something of q pc
cuniary interest at stake in the issue
and for the most part belonged to the
Conservative party. which is at pres
Feeling assured that they had the
sympathy of the people of the isthmus
in their undertaking, the committee
went ahead with it's plans. There was
a battalion of Colombian troops at
Panama, commanded by General Huer-
tas, who had long been stationed at
Panama. Huertas was won over by
the revolutioniStS.
1t had been planned to have the rev.
olution on the day following that on
which it actually occurred. The
scheme was to be sprung on Nov. at
Panama. But on Nov. 8 the Cartagena
steamed into Colon with Generals To
var and Amaya and $50 Colombian
troops on board. The news was tele-
graphed to Panama and created gen.
eral CONSERVATION. DR.. Amador large
~ deserves credit for putting the rev.
olution through in spite of the hesita-
ton of some of the other leaders.
When the Colombian generals arrived
they came without their troops, the
Panama railroad having refused to
transport them.
The generals were arrested by Huer-
tas' soldiers and the republic proclaim
ed. The next day the declaration of
independence was read in the Cathe-
dral park and was signed by the lead
ers in the movement and by all present
who wished. Three men, Frederic
Boyd, Constantin Arosemena and
Tomas Arias. were appointed consuls.
They assumed authority over the re-
public as members of the supreme
junta. the junta at once organizing n
government and constituting the su-
preme legislative and executive pow
er until the Inauguration of DR.. ANA |
dor on Feb. 20.
The honor that has come to DR.. ANA |
dor was unsought and is all the great !
er because of the fact that he is not a
native of Panama. He has lived on |
the isthmus since 1860, and, although |
he has figured for many years in the |
political life of Panama, he steadfast- |
~ refused many high offices under the !
Colombian government.
DIR. Amador was the leader of the 1
Conservative party, and in 1869, much /
against his will. he was nominated /
and elected by his party to the presi-
dency of the state of Panama. He /
never took office, however. for a Lib
eral revolution was started and sue
ceeded before his inauguration
As young man DR.. Amador engaged /
in commercial pursuits with his broth
or at Santiago de Veraguas. in the state
Of Panama. He went to the city of Pam
anna in 1871, becoming one OF the emf
nent physicians OF the country. For
many years he has occupied the place
Of chief physician for the Panama
Railroad company and the Pacific Mail
Steamship company. DR.. Amador has
two sons-Dr. Raoul A. AmadOr. con-
sui general of Panama in New York
and Manuel E. Amador, who was min
ster OF finance under the provisional /
OF Panama
From the moment it became a GER
tainty that the government Of the