New-York tribune., 1908-06-12
WARNING TO PANAMA
ELECTION MUST BE FAIR.
President and Secretary Taft Say
FrnNd KW IruaZidnte ResnH.

Washington June lin language that cam
not be mistaken. President Roosevelt and Sec
retary Taft have informed the government of
Panama that elections in that republic must
be conducted fairly. The correspondence was
made public at the War Department to-day
as if in preparation for active intervention on
the part of the United States by the use of
whatever force may be necessary to make it
effective.
Secretary Taft in letter dated May II and
delivered to President Amador in person, sug-
sests that two years ago, when charges OF fraud
were made concerning the Congress election In
Panama 1t was not thought best to do more
than urge fairness in the administrator VI
election laws. He continues
So,ne very weighty evidence was adduced %
show that there many who had been oe-
nrived of their constitutional right 10 Vote III N
that election, and there was much eVlqelce e., u
violence and repeating by the ponce IN 'ne cite0
~ panama Colon and elsewhere NO actlVe m
teryention however. was attempted py .it
United States government was hopeu or Ina dT,e
merely to the fact that the election laws Wete
new the republic young. and tnat at d mo- =
important election, like the Presioehtlal eleCIIoh ~
tn so1ioIu greater care would be taken to pre-
serve the rights of the citizens
HINTS AT INTERVENTION.
The interest of the United States in the tar
ness of the elections of the republic was NAM mani
fest The United States guarantees lae di iliovS
Iity Ii Gl M 'He ~ IF the lawful government If fraud
Is to intervene in the election. so that uiSpu:e
er;ses as TO who are the lawfully elected authorl
&C. then II becomes necessary for the United
states in the discharge of its treaty anu co.sr Ii
tutional duty to determine VINO are the iam oL1s
.Iocta6 officers in order that 1t may recognize
,benn and deal with them as such more thati l
this every fraudulent election involves lorce Az
,-;oIence in the election itself, which necessarily
aen.ers the neace of the canal zone and is ex-
ceedney likely to arouse in the party oeled.su t,
hv fraud and violence disposition TO resist 'il's
frarduIentlv elected officials and TO INSTITUTE d
rabeIIion The United States cannot look upon
anv election which is not conducteo on laii
lines and is likely to lead to Violence MN any ~
thing but the utmost concern, and II mas d ai- III
rect interest in case of threatened fraud III an
election to interfere to prevent IT, ana III cdse
tho fraud is carried out to intervene 10 preVei.
the succession of those officials in whose electlon
.bere was not the free choice of the people
since my coming to the 1stnmus l nas1 rnsa,tin,
,aiyed petitIons from committee repreSehliiiS
tba iberal party and committee repre- :.
tn, tbe Conservative party advising me tIld' AT
the coming election there is an ernent to
deprive the lawful voters OF the repuoiiI 80 ~
Panama of the opportunity 10 eApless ,s ~ Ir h,,
choica Of a candidate for the Presidency anu py
,s cnoite and violence to return the successful
andidete ar that election Sefor Arias, the pres
ent Secretary OF state
After reciting some OF the specific charges ol
fraud he suggested that the registration hsts
sbould be opened in order that voters snoulu
at he denrived of the right to cast their ballots
and added:
=. ,,oos without saving that the United States
II ,,oct reluctant to intervene in the IN
ternal affairs of the republic of Panama. nut iOr
the reasons ] have given should tne fSes oecasio
tle A. NOT see how it be avoided.
antre to suggest to your excellency therefore
hat in view of the charges when hase ue.n 20
5 lIias tho wisest course for your government 10
m,ao apa &, to give into the hands Of a person al,
,nittedIy Impartial between Senor Aras anu
GnSor 0baldia the administration or the lnteLlof ~
6onertrnent, having control of the election ma
chinery.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER
Mr. Taft included in his letter dispatch ne
,aa from President Roosevelt. as follows:
You are authorized TO say to President ANA ANA
.het the government of the United states
aoI s;dar n; that anv attempt at the election OF
VIII s,,ccessor by fraudulent methods or methods
which deny TO large part OF the people SppGp- ,,b
m tuliicS aar which under Panamas constitution
rao'jres intervention. and this government VIII
rontinued on seycatS