The Forrest City times., 1904-01-08

generosity; which was hailed with de-
locality through which the canal was TO
pass. who were most concerned as to the
new order of things. and which the Co
lombian authorities now recognize as be-
ing so good that they are willing TO prom
Use its unconditional ratification II only
we will desert those who have shown
themselves our friends and restore to
those who have shown themselves un-
friendly the power to undo what they dld
| pass by the question as to what assur-
ance we have that they would now keep
their pledge and not again refuse 10
ratify the treaty If they had the power,
for OF course, / will not for one momeni
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 bulit
1t was provided that treaty should DE
made for building the canal across the
isthmus Of Panama; and II, after reason
able time ii proved impossible to secure
such treaty, that then We should go 10
Nicaragua. The treaty has been made
for it needs no argument to show that
the intent OF the congress was to insure
a canal across Panama. and that whether
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 dLd
though, as the months went by, II pc
came increasingly improbable that the
Colombian congress would ratliy me
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
october. and within three days there,
after the revolution in Panama had
broken out. Panama became an inde-
pendent state. aud the control OF the ter,
ritory necessary for building the canal
then became obtainable. The condition
uunder which alone we could have gone
to Nicaragua thereby became impossible
n fhp no
Panama should not be ratified by the
senate, this would not alter the fact that
we could not GO to Nicaragua, me con
gress has decided the route, and there IS
no alternative under existing leg slaton
The president says that after the
failure of the Colombian congress to
ratify the treaty 1T seemed that the gov
eminent would have to 60 TO the Near
aqua route, and that he had made the
along that line. This was one OF three
alternatives that confronted the govern
ment Another was that the people OF
| Panama might take the protection OF
| their own interests into their own hands
and establis.. government competent
and willing to do It's share in the con-
Cured. and made the revertng to the
| Nicaraguan route unnecessary, and In
| fact impossible under the authority of
the president as vested in him by the
action of congress
Report of Commander Hubbard.
Inc president emptldlIcdlly Nilt'N
! this government had any hand III the
! instgating 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 situation. ne
! 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
| 5. to sustain this charge. In this report
! Commander Hubbard says. in part
| Pending a complete report of the oc-
| currences of the last three days in Colon,
! Colombia, | most respectfully invite the
departments. 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
! that date | was summoned on shore by
| 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 Il 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
4 the United States citizens should take
! refuge in the shed of the Panama Rail
/ road company, stone building suscept-
ible Of being put into good state for de-
I Tense. and that | would Immediately land
such body of men with extra arms for
armng the citizens. as the complement
of the ship would permit. This was
agreed TO and / Immediately returned on
board, arriving at lilo ?. IN. The order
for landing was Immediately given, and
at 30 D. m. the boats left the ship with
party OF ~ men under the command Of
Lieut. Commander II. NJ Witzel with
Midshipman J. =. jackson as second in
command. Time being pressing. | gave
verbal orders to Mr Witzel to take the
building above referred to. TO put II into
the best state of defense possible, and
protect the lives OF the citizens assembled
there-not hring unless fired upon.
The ColombIans surrounded the build
ing OF the railroad company almost i'm
mediatcly 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
steady, and while the tension was very
great no shot was fired. At about els
p m. Col Torres came into the building
tor an interview and expressed himself
as most friendly to Americans claiming
that the whole affair was a misappre-
hension and that he would ike to send
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 ; "a 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 n 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, 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 50 long the object In view
the protection of American citizens was
not Imperfect.
Il am positive that the determined at
tltude OF our men, their cooness and evil
dent intention OF standing their ground
had a 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.
4 feel that cannot sufficiently strong
ly represent to the department the gross
ness OF this outrage and the insult to our
dignity, even apart from The savagery OF