The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1904-01-05


friendly the power TO undo what they did
L pass by the question as to what aSsur-
ance we have that they would now keep
their pledge and not again refuse to
ratify the treaty If they had the power;
for, of course, [ will not for one moment
discuss the possibility of the United
States committing an act of such base
ness as to abandon the new republic of
Panama.
'Third.-Finally the congress definitely
settled where the canal was to be built.
1t was provided that a treaty should be
made for building the canal across the
isthmus Of Panama; and if after reason
able time it proved impossible to secure
such treaty, that then we should go to
Nicaragua. The treaty has been made;
for it needs no argument to show that
the intent of the congress was to insure
the republic granting the title was called
New Granada, Colombia or Panama mat
tered not one whit. AS events turned
out, the question of reasonable time did
not enter into the matter at all. Al
though. as the months went by. it be-
came increasingly improbable that the
Colombian congress would ratifY the
treaty or take steps which would be
equivalent thereto. yet all chance for
such action on their part did not vanish
until the congress closed at the end of
after the revolution in Panama had
broken out. Panama became an iTde-
pendent state. and the control Of the ter
ritory necessary for building the canal
uunder which alone we could have gone
TO Nicaragua thereby became impossible
of fulfillment. If the pending treaty W TN
Panama should not be ratified by the
senate. this would not alter the fact that
we could not go to Nicaragua The con-
gress has decided the route. and there is
no alternative under existing legislation. >"
The president says that after the
failure of the Colombian congress to
ratify the treaty it seemed that the gov
eminent would have to go to the Mica
elc1fp nd h1 11a ho6 \
original draft Of his MESA ge to c0n~~eSS
along that line. This was one of three
alternatives that confronted the govern
ment. Another was that the penOle Of
Panama might take the protection Cf
their own interests into their own hands
and eStabliSl4 a government competent
struction of the canal This is what Oc-
Cured, and made the reyerting to the
Nicaraguan route unnecessary. and IN
fact. impossible under the authority 81
the, president as vested in him by the
action of congress.
Report of Commander Hubbard.
The president emphatically denies that
this government had any hand in the
inStigating of this revolution. He knew,
as all the world did, that such was inn
minent and the navy department took
necessary measures to protect American
interests but nothing further. He gives
copies of the orders sent to commanding
officers of American warshipS, and their
various reports upon the SlludllOll IAC
charges Colombia with virtually making
war upon the United States at Colon, and
quotes the report Of Commander HUB
bard of the Nashville. dated November
s. to sustain this charge. In this report
Commander Hubbard says, in part:
"PSlding a complete report OF the oc-
currences of the last three days in Colon
Colombia, l most respectfully invite the
department attention to those OF the
date of Wednesday, November 4, which
amounted to practically the making OF
war against the United States by the
officer in command of the Colombian
troops in Colon AT one o clock .. m. on
that date l was summoned on Snorc Dy
preconcerted signal. and on landing met
the United States consul. vice consul and
Col. Shaler the general superintendent
of the Panama railroad. The consul IN
formed me that he had received notice
from the officer commanding the Colon
bian troops, Col. Torres, through the
project of Colon, to the effect that II the
Colombian officers, Gems. Tobal and
Amaya who had been seized in Panama
on the evening of the Sd of November by
the independents and held as prisoners,
were not released By two o clock p. m.
he Torres, would open fire on the town
of Colon and kill every United States
citizen in the place, and my advice and
action were requested. / advised that all
the United States citizens should take
refuge in the shed of the Panama Rail-
road company, a stone building SuScept-
IDLE of being put into good state Tor de-
Tense, and that would Immediately land
arming the citizens, as the complement
of the ship would permit. This was
agreed to and l Immediately returned on
board, arriving at lis p. IN. The order
for landing was Immediately given, and
at 80 p. m. the boats left the ship with
a party of ~ men under the command of
Lieut.. Commander H. NJ WitZel. with
MidshipmanNJ P. Jackson as second in
command. Time being pressing. L gave
verbal orders to Mr.. WitZel to take the
building above referred to. to put it into
ha hact eta 70 nf defense
protect the lives of the citizens assembled
there-nOt firing unless fired upon. .
The Colombians surrounded the build
ing of the railroad company almost inn
mediately after we had taken possession,
and for about one and 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
.. m. Col. Torres came into the building
for an interview and expressed himself
as most friendly to Americans, claiming
that the whole affair was misappre-
the alcalde OF Colon to Panama to see
Gen. Tobal and have him direct the dis
continuance of the show of force. a spe-
cial train was furnished and safe conduct
guaranteed. At about 80 p. m Col
Torres made the proposition of withdraw
ing his troops to Monkey Hill, If | would
withdraw the Nashville's 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 PROPOSE
ton and brought my men on board, the
disparity in numbers between my force
and that of the ColOmbanS. nearly ten
| to one. making me DESTROYS of avoiding
a conflict so long the object in view.
the protection Of American citizens; was
! not imperiled.
II am positive that the determined at
| titude of our men. their GOODNESS and evil
| dent intention of standing their ground.
| had {. most salutary and decisive effect
| on the immediate situation and was the
| initial step in the ultimate abandoning
of Colon by these troops and their return
| to Cartagena the following day.
/ Il feel that cannot sufficiently strong
| " represent to the department the gross
| ness of this outrage and the insult to our
| dignity. even apart from the savagery of
| the threat"
| In view of the reports of the various
! naval officers in Panama waters the preSi-
dent concludes that. instead of there hav-
! ing been too much provision by the Amer
/ lean government for the maintenance of
order and the protection of life and prop
/ erty on the iStEmus the orders for the
! movement of the American warships had
! been too long delayed; so long. in TACT,
/ that there were but AZ marines and sailors
4 available to land and protect the lives OF
| American men and women. 1t was only the
| md xr-ifh xryhf0 oh