New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-12
THE FOUNDERS OF NEW PANAMA.

The death of Jose Augustin Arrange follows
closely that of his old friend and patriotic col
league Manuel Amador Guerrero. and the two
remove within a few days the two men who,
above al others, were the founders of the new
republic of Panama and leave in the person of
Mr. Carlos c. Arosemena only one of the orig
inal revolutionary junta which. less than six
years ago led the revolt of the isthmian people
against the misgovernmPnt of Bogota and de
vised the restoration of the former independent
sovereignty Of Panama. 1t would he invidious
to attempt TO declare which of the two was
entitled TO the greater credit for the achieve
ment Of 1903, for while Mr.. Arrange was prob
ably the first in point of time to plan secession
from Colombia, DR. AmadOr undertook the
more openly active and perhaps perilous part in
visiting a foreign land for the enlistment of
sympathy. But from the hour of their memo
rable interview ut the railroad station at Colon
through the midnight meetings at the Panama
electric light works. TO the triumphant culni-
nation of their efforts in the actual revolution
of November 8. and then through the years OF
constitutional administration which followed
the two worked together in perfect harmony
and confidence.
1t is not often given to two men to typify
in themselves and their immediate ancestry so
much Of the political evolutiOn-also devolution
and revolutiOn--of two states. The names of
these TWO men are a key to the story Of the
original Independent republic of Panama. of
its i'll conceived union with New Granada of
its struggle against Colombian msgovernment,
and of the successful establishment of the new
Panama. They were, of course. too young TO
take part in the foundation Of the State Of the
lsthmus. as the first Panama was called but
their fathers were conspicuous in that work
together with an ancestor of Mr.. Arosemena
their colleague in the first government of the
new Panama. 1t was In 1871 that the State
of the Isthmus was founded. with a constitu-
tional provision that it should never become a
part of New Granada Colomba-the break
ing of which provision involved the isthmus in
most of its subsequent troubles. Two years
later weakness at Panama and greed ar Bogota
transformed the iSthmus into 1.-The mich COW
of Colombia During the weary years which
followed Amador and Arrange rose into promi-
nence not cOnspirators or revolutiOnists but
as loyal citizens who sought reform by consti-
tutiOnal means. Indeed, it was by the casting
vote of DR.. Amador in the constitutional con-
yentiOn Of 1856 that Panama became legally
what it had long been Illegally, a department
of Colombia.
This act of DR.. Amador's in 1856 invested
with peculiar authority his course in 1903
Having been loyal TO the BogOta government
in its worst estate he was Of all men best emit
tied TO demonstrate with it against its burking
of the Hay-Herran treaty and to warh It OF
the inevitable consequences Then when his
letters to his old friend and colleague Presi-
dent MarroquiD disregarded only one
course was logically open TO him. He had
done his utmost to maintain union with Colon
bia on tolerable terms. Thereafter he Joined
hands with Mr.. Arrange in fulfilling his own
warnings, in the re-establishment of isthmian
Not many men have had more
difficult tasks TO perform than had these, in
the organization and cOnsummation of the revo-
luton of 1903. and few have ever performed
any task with more devotion and integrity |
They brought 10 the labors of state the quail |
ties of mind and temperament which bad made
them successful in professional and business
life. and there won the same success. The debt