New-York tribune., 1907-12-07
TILE PANANA PRESIDENCY.

Reports from Panama indicate that the Pres
idential campaign in that country is opening
actively. The election Of a new President * TO
be held next summer. the new term beginning
on October ! next 1t is said that the Liberal
party is planning to hold its national conVen-
ton next month when instead Of putting
candidate of its own In the field II may decide
To ioin forces with the Constituencies. How
ever that may be. there is welcome prospect
that the campaign will be conducted in tenn
perate and orderly manner with no thought of
unconstitutional methods and with general ac-
ouescence in the result Party passions on the
isthmus have cooled greatly since the time when
the possibility of American intervention was
considered. The man who was foremost In
opposng. if not in plotting against. the existing
administration. and who was judicially declared
TO he not entitled to Panaman citizenship, ac-
cepted and worthily executed appointment as
that governments representative at The Hague,
and others who a year or two ago were We
hement in their attacks upon the administra-
ton of President Amador are now temperlng
their partisanship with patriotism.
Various candidates for the Presidency are
hefng discussed. Mr.. de RouX, formerly Pres
ident of the Panama Congress and now a mem
her of if has recently suggested the possibility
of President Amadors reelection. 1t is true
that the Panaman constitution declares that
the President shall not be succeeded by himself
ar by any relative within the fourth degree Of
consanguinity or the second degree of affinity.
Nevertheless, the President may apparently be
reelected if he has not exercised the functions
of his Office for eighteen months preceding the
new election, and Mr.. de Roux raises the queS-
tion whether President Amadors retirement on
leave of absence has been meant as means of
complying with that condition and thus qualify
;,,.r hin, for ra alaction That notion wp
think be regarded little fantastic. The
new election is TO occur at the beginning Of
next August and as President Amador did not
withdraw from office until June % last, he will
at that time have been ont OF 1t only thirteen
months instead Of the eighteen required. If
he had cherished any design of thus qualifying
himself for reelection he would surely have
withdrawn in January last In addition to this
consideration there are reasons for believing
that DR. Amador. now full of years and honors
will prefer TO retire from the cares and labors
of state.
There are numerous other candidates. any one
of whom would probably carry on well the
government which DR. Amador has so well ad-
ministered Mr.. Obaldia is now the Acting
President: he has been the Panaman Minister
AT Washington, and be the last Colombian
Governor of the Isthman State. Mr. Arrange
was one of the foremost founders of the re-
public and has been conspicuously and honorably
associated with its public interests. Mr.. Boyd
was one of the revolutionary junta and a men,
ber of the provisional government, and is now
4 Designado, Nice-Fresident. Mr. Arias
was one of the founders and has been Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs. These are the
names which at present seem TO be most fire.
auently mentioned. though there are others no
less honorable and auspicious: Whichever of
them shall finally be chosen it is confidently
TO be assumed that the election will be made in
4 manner betting a free. intelligent and law
respecting people and that the new administra-
ton VIII continue upon the enlightened and