The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-04
OUR Mandate FRoM CIVILIZATIONS no DIG THE CANAL.

to carry out his agreement to withdraw
and announced intentionof returning.
and that my attitude turnout was
strictly neutral as between the
two parties my only purpose being to +
protect the lives and property Of American
citizens and to preserve the free and UNI
interrupted transit Of the isthnus Very
respectfully.
(Signed) John Hubbard.
Commander, U.s.s Navy, Commanding.
The Secretary iof the Navy, Bureau Of
Navigation, Navy Department, Wash
ington, ID. c. 7
:. Not Too Much Provision.
This plain official account of the
occurrences of Nov. 4, shows that,
instead of there having been too much
provision by the American govern
ment for the maintenance of order
and the protection of life and proper
lyon the isthmus, the orders for the
movement Of the American war ships
had been too long delayed; so long,
in fact, that there were but forty-tWo
marines and sailors available to land
and protect the lives Of American men
! and women. It was only the GOODNESS
and gallantry with which this little
| band Of men wearing the American
uniform faced ten times their number
4 of armed foes, bent on carrying, out
the atrocious threat of the Colombian
commander, that prevented a murder
1 Gus catastrophe. AT Panama, when
the revolution broke out, there was
! no American man-of-war and no
| American troops or sailors. At Colon,
1 Commander Hubbard acted with en-
4 tire imparuality towards both sides,
preventing any movement, whether
by the Colonbians or the. Panamans,
which would tend to produce blood
4 shed. On Noy. he prevented a body
of the revolutionists from landing at
4 Colon. Turnout he behaved in the
most creditable manner. In the New
York Evening Post, under date of
Panama, Dec. s.. there is an article
from a special correspondent, which
sets forth in detail the unbearable
oppression of the Colombian govern
ment in Panama; In this article is
an interesting interview with a native
: Panaman, which runs in part as fol-
lows: 1872
t We looked upon the building
J. of the canal as matter OF life or dea tn
: to us. We wanted that because it meant,
? with the United States in control of, it.
t peace and prosperity for US. President
+ Marroquin appointed an isthmian to BE-
: governor of Panama, and we looked upon
: that as Of happy augury. Soon we heard
$ that the canal treaty was not likely to
: be approved at Bogota; next We heard
: that our isthmian governor, Obaldia, who
had scarcely assumed power, was to be
e superseded by a soldier from Bogota. :
e Notwithstanding all that Colombia has
e drained us OF in the way Of revenues, she
I did not bridge for us a single river, mol
y make a single roadway, nor erect a single
u college where our children could be edu
s Gated, nor do anything at all to advance
Z our Industries. SIS Well, when thu
7 new generals came we seized them, ar
: rested them. and the town Of Panama wa
q / in JOY. Not a protest was made excep
r the shot fired from the Colombian gunbea
: Bogota. which killed one Chinese lying II
: his bed. We were willing to eneounte
the Colombian troops at Colon and figh
; it out; but the commander Of the Unite'
s States cruiser Nashville forbade Superin
= tendent Shaler to allow the railroad t
q transport troops for either party. That
= our story.
Hubbard Prevented Fight.
1T I call especial attention to the con
81 GLIDING portion OF this interview
m which states the willingness of tn
d Panama people to fight the Colombia
g troops and the refusal Of Commando
"a Hubbard to permit them to use tn
rraI railroad and therefore to get into
"a position where the fight could tax
or place. 1t thus clearly appears tina
ce the fact that there was no bloodshe
es on the isthmus was directly due-an