The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-20
PANAMA AFFAIRS ARE ID BE WATCHED United States Government Will
 Help To Guard Elections FRAUD TO BE ELIMINATED Secretary Taft Announces Arrange ment Made. With Panama Gov
 ernnent to Preserve the
 Purity of the Ballot.
FRAUD TO BE ELIMINATED

Washington, May 19.-Following the cabinet meeting today, Secretary Taft made public the arrangement made by the Panama government by which it is hoped the purity of the elective franchise at the elections next July will be estab- lished. It is the outcome of the recent visit of MT. Taft to the isthmus.
 The arrangement, together with an in- troductory statement by Secretary Taft is as follows:
 Representations were made to Secretary Taft that there was likely to be great fraud in the elections to be held for the presidency of Panama on July 12, and the representations included affidavits tend ing to show that registration had all ready been denied to many persons ap- plying for the same who were entitled to register These matters were brought to the attention of the Panama government and it was pointed out that if fraud was permitted in the elections it would likely lead to violence and riot and in- surrection, contrary to interests of the United States, and that it would be the duty of the United States to preserve order under the treaty and the constitu- ment of Panama approved and announced the following arrangement:
 1. Commission of electoral inquiry to be created by Panama with full power to investigate complaints of all parties.
 2. United States to join in this inquiry through any agents concurrently with right to examine and cross-examine all witnesses concerning past, present and future proceedings from beginning to end; full right to inspection and copy of all inscriptions to entertainment of omis- inscriptions and entertainment of omis- of juries of inscriptions and elections.
 8. Agents of respective governments 10 report to respective governments for their guidance and action.
 4. Official declaration by Panama that it desires and assures open, fair and free election and that result shall not be open to reasonable doubt.
 5. If United States comes to conclusion that material errors or defects are now or hereafter adopted in electoral proced- ure or right of suffrage has been or may be lost to citizens through failure of cleo toral, jury duties or otherwise, then Pan anna will cause same to be remedied in some lawful manner in due course of sea son before election.
 6. Inquiry to begin forthwith and pur- sued with utmost diligence.
 7 Official letters exchanged today em- bodying the foregoing and the agents leave within AS hours for the interior. By this plan any past errors can be as- certained not exparte, but under obserya- tion all parties without necessity for hos tile action. The agents of the United States will have no judicial functions, but report to their government.
 Subsequently,, the cabinet agreed to al- lew the inscription of new names, that is registration, until May 25. The com mission appointed on behalf of the Amer ican government left on the 17th instant, and the rest will go tomorrow. Senor Obaldia was also permitted to send pr- vate representatives
 Senor Obaldia is one of the candidates for President.