The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
DEALS WITH PANAMA
Roosevelt Denies That the United States Foment-
ed the ReVoIution-Cites circumstances to
Show That the Revolution Was Sure to
Follow the Remuneration of the
Hay-Herran Treaty.

| ing that a revolutionary outbreak had
occurred When this was brought to
the attention of the assistant secretary
of state, Mr.. Loomis, he prepared the
following cablegram to the consul gen.
eral at Panama and the consul at CO.
lon
Uprising on isthmus reported. Keep
department promptly and fully in
formed.
Before this telegram was sent how
ever, one was received from Consul
Malmros at Colon, running as follows:
Revolution imminent. Government
force on the isthmus about 500 men.
Their official promised support revo-
luton. Fire department, Panama. AL,
are well organized and favor revolu-
tion. Government vessel, Cartagena,
with about 400 men, arrived early to-
day with new commanderin-ch chief,
TObar. Was not expected until Nov.
10. Tobar's arrival is not probable
TO stop revolution
This cablegram was received at 2:35
p. M, and at at $40 p. m. Mr. Loo
mis- sent the telegram which he had
already prepared to both Panama and
Colon. Apparently, however, the con-
sui general at Panama had not re-
ceived the information embodied in the
Associated Press bulletin, upon which
the assistant secretary of state based
his dispatch; for his answer was that
there was no uprising, although the
situation was critical this answer be-
ing received at S:15 p. IN. Immediate
ly afterwards he sent another dis
patch which was received at $3.50 p.
m, saying that the uprising had oc-
CURED, and had been successful, with
no bloodshed. The Colombian gunboat
1f,r oh Ill
city of Panama, with the result of kill
ing one Chinaman. The consul general
was directed to notify her to stop fir
ing. Meanwhile, on Nov. 4, Command
er Hubbard notified the department
that he had landed a force to protect
the lives and property of American
citizens against the threats of the Co
lombian soldiery.
Before any step whatever had been
taken by the United States troops to
restore order. the commander of the
newly landed Colombian troops had
indulged in wanton and violent threats
against American citizens, which Gre
ated serious apprehension. AS Com
mander Hubbard reported in his letter
of Nov. 5, this officer and his troops
practically began war against the
United States. and only the forbear-
ance and GOODNESS of our officers and
men prevented bloodshed. The letter
of Commander Hubbard is of such in
terest that it deserves quotation in full,
and runs as follows:
U. S. S. Nashville, third rate, Colon.
L. S. Colombia, Nov. s. 1903. Sir:
Pending a complete report of the oc-
currences of the last three days in
Colon. Colombia. 1 most respectfully
invite the departments attention to
those of the date of Wednesday, Nov.
+, which amounted to practically the
making of war against the United
States by the officer in command of the
Colombian troops in Colon. At
o clock y. M, on that date l was sum-
on shore by a preconcerted sig
nal and on landing met the United
States consul. vice consul. Sand Col.
Shaler the general superintendent of
the Panama Railroad. The consul in
formed me that he had received no.
tice from the officer commanding the
Colombian troops. Col. Torres,
through the Drefect of Colon,
10 the effect that if the Co.
lumbar officers, Gems. Tobal and
Amaya, who had been seized in Pam
anna on the evening of Nov. 8, by the
Independents and held as prisoners,
were not released by O'clock p. m,
of Colon and kill every United States
citizen in the place, and my advice and
action were requested. l advised that
all the United States citizens should
take refuge in the shed of the Pam
anna Railroad Company, u stone build
ing susceptible of being put into good
state for defense, and that l would i'm
mediately land such body of men, with
extra arms for arming the citizens, as
the complement of the ship would per-
init. This was agreed to and 1 i'm
mediately returned on board, arriving
at lis p. m. The order for landing
was Immediately given, and at 1:30
D. m. the boats left the ship with a
party of forty-two men under the COM
mand of Lieutenant Commander H. M.
Witzel. with Midshipman ]. P. Jack
son as second in command. Time be-
ing pressing l gave verbal orders to
mir. Witzel to take the building above
referred to- TO put it into the best state
of defense possible, and protect the
lives of the citizens assembled there
not firing unless fired upon. The wom-
en- and children took refuge on the
German steamer Marcomania and PAN
anna Railroad steamer City of WASH
ington. both ready to haul out from
dock if necessary. The Nashville l
got under way and patrolled with her
along the water front close in and
ready to use either small-arm or shrap-
nel fire. The Colombians surrounded
the building of the railroad company
almost Immediately after we had taken
possession. and for about one and a
half hours their attitude was most
threatening, it being seemingly their
purpose TO provoke an attack. Happily
our men were cool and steady, and
while the tension was very great no
shot was fired. At about 3:15 D. m.
Col. Torres came into the building for
an interview and expressed himself as
most friendly to Americans, claiming
that the whole affair was a misappre-
hension. and that he would like to send
the alcalGe OF Colon to Panama TO
see Gen. Tobal and have him direct
the distontinuance of the show of force.
a special train was furnished and safe
conduct guaranteed. At about $50 %.
m. Col. Torres made the proposition Of
Withdrawing his troops to Monkey Hill.
if l would withdraw the Nashville 5
force and leave the town in possession
of the police until the return of the
alcalde on the morning of the 5th
After an interview with the United
States consul and Col. Shaler as TO
the probability of good faith in the
matter, l decided to accept the prop
osition, and brought my men on board,
the disparity in numbers between my
force and that of the Colombians. near