The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-09-15
PANAMANS WRATHFUt.
Arbitrary and overbearinSe Dsport
ntent Of Canal Commission
& Causes Feeling in Panama.

NoIoCS TVSbsuS
= The Atlanta Constitution prints the
following special from Panama: A
Crisis is at hand in the affairs of Pana-
! ma. The most important question at
fecting the future Of the republic viii
!! be settled during the next two weeks.
Public feeling has been aroused to
fever pitch. 1t has now cooled down
partially but it Is eagerly awaiting
the outcome of the negotiations be-
tween John Barrett, minister OF the
United States, and Don Thomas Arias,
the Panama secretary Of government.
.>Kor O. time so excited were the peo-
ples Of Panama that thereEwere open
threats Of another revolution and OF
return to the Jurisdiction Of Colum-
bia. -. ...
The issue under discussion Is the IL
tai one Of control Of the ports or har-
bors at the two ends of the canal.
Panama claims that according to-ar-
ticle 2 Of the treaty, they are hers and
must be under her jurisdiction and So
vereignty in order to protect her reve-
nues and foreign trade. The commits
sion insist that article 2 has no such
meaning and that it will be impossible
for the. United States to construct
and control the canal unless It has
absolute authority over the two en
frances. s..-..----.-----.-.-.
AS preliminary steps for an under
standing the American minister, by the
exercise Of tact and consideration for
the interests of Panama, has gained
the confidence Of the Panama goyern-
ment and people. The distrust and
bitterness toward the United States
grew out of the autocratic methods
and acts of the commission. Mr.. Bar
rett undoubtedly prevented an armed
clash between Panamans and some
port and police officials that would
have created sensation In the United
States and awakened intense feeling
in Panama against the Americans.
Acting as sort Of mediator, or buf-
fer, between the abrupt, undiploma-
tic methods Of the commission and the
gentle Latin ways Of the Panama goy-
ernment leaders, who are as senst-
tive of their independence and dignity
as If their country were as large as
Mexico or Great Britain, Mr. Barrett
has saved President Roosevelt from.
the criticism Of acting arbitrarily and
imperiously in the administration OF
the zone.
While it is generally conceded that
Admiral Walker, General Davis and
their associates are able men and suit
ed for control of the construction Of
the canal, it Is freely asserted, In both
Official and private circles at Panama,
that they are evidently not schooled
in diplomacy. They are too inclined
to treat Panama as a subordinate and
dependent section of the United States
and not like an Independent state, as
the treaty provides. Anybody familiar
with Latin statesmen and people can
readily understand why, therefore. the
commission ran against dangerous
snag when it tried to pilot the zone
ship Of state into the channel OF sue
cessful existence. Don Thomas Arias.
the head Of President Araador's cabi-
net, Is known to have said that Admi-
raj Walker and General Davis, al.
though meaning well, seemed to regard
him as the governor Of some Ameri-
can colony instead as the principal di-
plomatic officer Of an Independent gov
ernment, and that 1t was only since
the arrival of the American minister
that the United States had commenced
to transact diplomatic business with
Panama as it would with any other
self-respecting state.