Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-04
FROM PRESIDENT.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

TO ask the Executive to appoint an anti
secessionist governor in Panama has been
approved by the Senate. Speakers in the
Senate said that Senior Obaldia, who was re-
Gently appointed governor of Panama, ana
who is favorable to canal treaty. was
menace to the national integrity Senator
Marroqun protested against the action OF
the Senate.
President Marroquin succeeded later in
calming the Congressman. 1t appears that
he was able to give them satisfactory rea-
for Governor Obaldias appointment
He appears to realize the imminent peril
of the Isthmus of Panama declaring its in
dependence.
Senior Deroux, representative for Pana-
ma constituency, recently delivered SEN
sational speech in the House Among other
things, he said:
In Panama the bishops governors, mag
istrates, military chiefs and their subor-
dinates have been and foreign to the
department. It seems that the Government.
with surprising tenacity, wishes TO exclude
the Isthmus from all participation In public
affairs AS regards international dangers
In the Isthmus. all 1 say is that If these
dangers exist they are due to the conduct of
the na tional government, which is in the
direction of reaction.
IF the Colombian Government will not
take action with a view to preventing dis
aster. the responsibility will rest with 1t
alone"
In the New York Herald of October IS 1t
was reported that a revolutionary exped-
ton of about 20 men had actually landed
on the lsthmus. In the Washington Post
of October p it was reported from Panama
that in view of the impending trouble on
the 1sthmus the Bcsota Government had
gathered troops in sufficient numbers to at
once put down an attempt at secession In
the New York Herald of October 20 it was
announced from Panama that Bogota was
hurrying troops to the Isthmus to put down
the projected revolt. In the New York
Herald or November . II was announced
that in Bogota the Congress had indorsed
the energetic measures taken to meet the
situation on the Isthmus and that 5000 men
were about to be sent thither
Official Notification.
Quotations like the above could be multi
piled Indefinitely Suffice it so say that II
was notorious that revolutionary trouble of
serious nature was impending upon the
lsthmus But 1t was not necessary to rely
exclusively upon such general means of in
formation. On October Is Commander
Hubbard. of the Navy, notified the NAVY
Department that, though things were quiet
on the lsthmus, revolution had broken
out in the State of Cauca. On October 16,
at the reques, of Lieutenant-G General
Young, / saw Capt. c. B. Humphrey and
Lieut. Grayson Mallet-Prevost Murphy, who
had Just returned from a four months tour
through the -orthern portions of Venezuela
ana Colombia. They stopped IN Panama
on their return in the latter part of Sep
TENDER. At the time they were sent down
there had been no thought of their going
TO Panama, and their visit to the Isthmus
was but an unprecedented incident Of their
return tourney; nor had they been spoken
TO by anyone at Washington regarding the
: possibility of revolt. Until they landed at
Colon they had no knowledge that a revo-
luton was impending, save what they had
gained from the newspapers. What they
saw in Panama so impressed them that
they reported thereon to Lieutenant-Gen-
eral Young. according to his memorandum
that while on the Isthmus they became
satisfied beyond question that, owing large
ly TO the dissatisfaction because of the
failure of Colombia to ratify the Hay-Her-
ran treaty, revolutionary party was in
course of organization having for Its OBJ
Ject the separation of the State of Panama
from Colombia, the leader being DR.. Rich
ard Arrange former governor of Panama;
that when they were on the Isthmus arms
and ammunition were being snuggled into
the city of Colon in piano boxes. merchan-
disc crates, etc, the small arms received
being principally the Gras French rifle, the
Remington and the Mauser; that nearly
every citizen in Panama had some sort of
rifle OF gun in his possession, with ammu-
niton therefor; that in the city Of Panama
there had been organized a fire briga de
which was really intended for revolu-
uonary military organization: that there
were representatives of the revolutionary
organization at all important points on the
lsthmus; that In Panama, Colon, and the
other principal places of the 1sthmus police
forces had been organ ized which were in
reality revolutionary forces, that the peo
pie on the Isthmus seemed to be unanimous
In their sentiment against the Bogota Gov
hai n tha foil,
OF that Government 10 ratffy the treaty
providing for the construction of a canal
and that a revolution might be expected
Immediately upon the adjournment of the
Colombian Congress without ratification of
the treaty.
Lieutenant-General Young regarded their
report as of such Importance as to make
1t advisable that l should personally see
these officers. They told me what they
had already reported to the Lieutenant
General. adding that on the Isthmus the
excitement was seething, and that the
Colombian troops We're reported to be
disaffected. In response to a question of
mine they informed me that it was the
general belief that the revolution might
break out at any moment, and If it did
not happen before, would doubtless take
place Immediately after the closing of
the Colombian Congress Cat the end of
ratified. They were certain that the revo-
luton would occur, and before leaving
the Isthmus had made their own reck-
oning as to the time. which they had set
down as being probably from three to
four weeks after their leaving. The rea-
son they set this as the probable inside
limit OF time was that they reckoned that
IT would be at least three or four weeks
say not until October 2O-before a suf-
fcient quantity of arms and munitions
would have been landed.
Naval Orders
In view of all these facts l directed the
Navy Department to issue instructions
such would insure our having ships
within easy reach of the Isthmus in the
event of need arising. orders were given
on October 10 to the Boston to proceed
to San Juan del Sur Nicaragua; to the
Dixie to prepare TO sail from League Is
land; and to the Atlanta to proceed to
Guantanamo On October 30 the Nash
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