Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-24
OPENING IN NINE YEARS, HIS
PREDICTION
Powerful Address of United States
Senator from California Stirs
Engineers and Architects
to Enthusiasm


world where a market exists for them.
With this prediction Senator Frank
Flint closed an address on the Panama
canal before the Engineers and Archl-
tects' association of Southern California
in the banquet room at Levy's last nlght
The talk was informal and by no means
followed technical lines. 1t was enliv-
ened throughout by humorous touches,
particularly when the senator told OF the
Panama revolution; and again when ne
told of the graft existing in the canal
zone under French management.
Incidentally, in discussing the revolu-
ton, the senator revealed the secret his
tory of that movement, much OF Whlch,
heretofore, has been discussed only In
the senates executive sessions and among
those few diplomats who were informed
of the true state of affairs through the
medium of the several secret service or
ganizations maintained by their govern
ments.
The senator began his story of the revo-
luton with the rejection by the Colom-
bian government of the offer made by the
United States for the canal zone, follow
ing the purchase by this country of the
rights formerly held by the French COM
pany.
After that purchase" he said, "the
United States government entered into
negotiations with the Colombian govern
menL 1Or a SITlp OF lana ACROSS Ile loth-
mus to be known as the canal zone. FL
nally treaty was prepared, but when
1t was submitted to Colombia that nation
rejected it. We had invested $0,000,0OO
there and they thought they saw
chance to hold US up for practically any
amount they might name.
"In the isthmus, however, this policy
was very unpopular and feeling against
the Colombian government became in
tense AS a matter of fact. the present
republic of Panama is separated from
Colombia by high mountain range, and
even then there was little communication
between the two sections.
after the formal rejection by Colombia
of the treaty the people of Panama got
together and said they would not permit
the Bogota government to take that
stand They realized the canal would
mean much to them and they didn't pro-
pose to allow Colombia to block its con-
struction. ...t.- --',-
"At last physician connected with
the Panama railway, which the United
States had acquired from the French
,companN decided to come to this coun-
try in an effort to secure the aid of the
United States in a revolutionary move
ment against Colombia Before he sailed
he arranged a code with friends. If
things were we'll he was to cable the
word Hopeful; If not the message was
to be Despair.
"He arrived in Washington and called
on Secretary Hay. He laid the matter
before the secretary and was informed
by him that the United States could not
encourage the people of a friendly gov
ernment to revolt against that govern
ment. The secretary, however, suggest
ed that he call upon the officials of the
Panama railway.
1.-THE Panaman left the department and
cabled the one word. Despair However,
he did go to the railway office and there
had a talk When he came away from
the office he sent a second cablegram
and this time the message was Hope
full
ARRIVED at Colon his friends asked him
for some writing to show that the United
States would protect them If the standard
of revolt was raised. He replied that he
had no writing but added that one or two
American battleships probably would ar
rive in port on the following day. The
ships appeared, as he said they would do
and relying on this the revolution was
undertaken
'"rhe leaders of Panama met and dis
cussed plans. They debated whether 1T
would be best to capture the generals of
the Colombian army by giving them drug
ged wine, or merely throwing them into
Jail Finally they abandoned the drugged
wine plan because they felt it was be-
neatn their dignity.
"The generals. however, were invited to
q dinner at Panama. They went leaving
their army at Colon They were given a
dinner and then were invited to inspect
the fort. When they arrived at the fort
they were informed that they were under
arrest
"Over at Colon the army under COM
mand of a colonel, decided to go to the
rescue of their leaders. They approached
nf
asked for cars to take them across the
isthmus. The agent agreed without hesi-
tation.
"'But we are operating on a gold basis
today gentlemen he said. 1T will cost
you so much in gold.
Now the army didn't have any gold,
and 1t couldn't get any gold. It seemed to
be case of no gold, no transportation;
and finally the army loaded itself into its
ships and sailed back home, leaving its
generals behind it.
"Within five days the republic of Pana-
ma had been recognized by foreign ma
tions and had taken it's place among the
nations of the earth.
"Now will admit that there was a good
deal of the farcical in the organization of
that republic, but there was also good
deal of seriousness. The revolution was
accomplished in the interests of a seri-
our and great work. Today we prac-
tically run that government. In my
opinion the people are not fitted for self
government
1.-THE United States kept faith with
Panama We paid them $4,000 900 for the
canal zone, the exact amount we had Of
fered Colombia. In that zone they have
control for certain purposes and we for
other purposes. We control the cities of
Panama and Colon so far as sanitary
regulations are concerned, and in Panama
we have already expended $1.000,000 for
paved streets, sewers and water supply.
/ think this is a proper expense. We
could not have had healthful conditions
in the zone and unhealthful conditions In
Panama and Colon.
"Never in the history of the world
has such work been carried on under
such conditions with such excellent
sanitary results. Under the admins
tration of the French company thou
sands died each year from yellow fever.
Today Panama is as healthful as Los
Angeles or any other city so far as It's
death rate is concerned.
"The task was a tremendous one
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