The Washington herald., 1908-07-13
$500 Stock of Gloves.

were taken by the Psnaman administra-
ton 10 insure fair elections, so far as op-
portunity 10 vote is concerned.
There are other, elements than that In
the free expression Of the peoples will.
For instance. the porvince OF Colon had
for its governor Porflrio Melendez. He
issued a statement to the officials under
him in which he said that every voter in
the province should be afforded the op-
portunity 70 register his individual Will
in the coming election, and that while he
favored the election Of Obaldia. the Lib
eral candidate. he wanted a fair election.
As soon as the administration got hold OF
this statement on went the official head
OF Gov Melendez. President Amador
sent for Melendez first. and told him that
he must sacrifice all personal coasidera-
tlons and that he must support Arias
When Melendez refused TO recant, ANA
dor told him he would give him a three
months vacation. This Melendez also
turned down. II was then that his Office
was taken from him and given 10 a sup
porter of Arias. The same thing happened
to the governors of the provinces of CLiri-
qui and Cocle.
opportunity 10 understand and appreciate
the advantage OF the party in power. in a
legitimate fashion. But In Panama the
advantage is a hundred times greater.
The total revenues OF the government are
about S2.500000. The republic. thanks 10
the United States for the S10000.G00 paid
for Panama's interests in the canal, is out
OF debt. The United States has put up
the money for the public improvements
that have been made IN Panama and
Colon. therefore, the Panaman admins
| tration can spend nearly the whole OF the
governmental receipts on offices for its
| friends.
Taking them by and large, the Pana-
mans are rather a sorry lot They are
revolutionlsts by habit and are indus
trious In no other pursuit. Their political
leaders look to the force OF arms as the
sustaining principle OF parties and gov
ernments. The respect for law and legal
institutions which causes Americans 10
peacefully submit TO political defeats is
incomprehensible to them. The only argu-
ment Gov. Blackburn would advance in
favor of fair elections which had any
force upon the administration leaders was
\ the implied threat that battle ships and
marines would back UP the American po-
sition. That was argument they could
appreciate.
The Panaman is born with a natural
hankering for political Job. With al
the great opportunities for employment
afforded by the canal project, there are
only few dozen natives on the pay roll
Of the canal force. and they have nice
easy jobs. The proud position of a police
patrolman appeals 10 the Panaman patri
OTIS soul He will cake 1t even with the
restriction that he must not arrest ar
American except In unusual cases. But
when 1t comes to real work-he is not ar
applicant for a Job.
The policy OF the American government
In the Canal Zone is to be very liberia
with the Panama government and th'
Panamans. But there Is a distinct line
Of demarcation between liberality and tn,
concession Of unwarranted favors. Will,
every reasonable request is granted, III,
American government has given the Pan
amans TO understand that it will no
countenance anything which will in tn,
slightest degree interfere with the worl
OF digging the canal. In the election mat
ter. the United States has demonstrated
10 the people OF Panama that It will
not permit isthmian politics to delay o.
endanger the Isthmian Canal
Copyright 1908. b. Frederic ]. Haskin)
To-morrow-The Panama Canal
IIE-Sanitation.