The San Francisco call., 1909-03-04
PANAMA'SHOUSE
SET in ORDER
BY UNCLE SAM
Illustration of Changes Pos
sibIe in Chaotic Gem
traI America
Filth and Disease Give Way
to Sanitation and Pros
perity
Part Played by Taft in De-
veIOping the Isthmus
District
BY Frederick Palmer

properly ends with the little republic
which Uncle Sam made. in order that
he might have a clear title to an other
wise all but worthless strip of land on
which he was to spend not less than
$3.50. O0O, 600 in building canal for the
use Of the commerce Of the world.
Every one Of the five other Central
American republics has repudiated its
national debt issues. both home md
foreign: every one, except Costa Rica,
has a deficit and arrears of government
salaries unpaid; every one. except Cos
ia Rica. is in the worst condition
economically than it ever was. The re-
public that Uncle Sam watches over
has a surplus Of sS.00O.00O in gold, no
national debt. and rejoices in such
prosperity as no Panamanian ever
dreamed OF before we came. For its
size. Panama's financial situation is
the best Of any country in the world.
sIIRE BECOMES
A THRIVING CITY
The contrast Of the isthmus which
knew in 1903 and the isthmus of today
would be incredible on paper TO one
who has not seen for himself. Colon
was then a mire, with few saloons
for sailors and the barracks for the
railroad employees. The city Of Panama
was unpaved. filthy, exhausted by rev.
olution and Colombian tax gatherers.
her people earning a miserable par
asitic livelihood, and general desolation
apparent in the idle shops and build
lngs from which the paint, the plaster
and the whitewash were scaling
Now Colon is a well drained colony
or hotels and stores, which thrive off
the canal population. The city Of Pan
new government palace includes an or
nate theater. where subsidized compa-
nies play; residences Of the well to do
and tenements have risen in the town
and suburbs; business thrives; real es-
tate scars; and a long street with new
buildings on either side has taken the
place Of a muddy road with q few mean
sshacks on the main drive from the ca
nal colony Of Ancon TO the heart Of
the town
But the Psnamanians cry for more
more money. They would like operas
the year round and circuses and roof
gardens ard everybody's brother. cous-
IN and father in law in office. They
grow restless when they think of the
$4,000. 600 in interest bearing securities
deposited in New York; of a current
account in New York amounting to
s1.505. 000 which we watch with pater-
nal care. The $4,000, 600 is a part of
the original $40 .000, 600 which we paid
for the lease OF the zone. After 1913
this little country of 100000 souls is
10 receive S25O,0O0 annually in perpe-
tuity as rental for the canal site.
NATIVES WANT
THE EASY LIFE
AS a result OF the prosperity. no
original Panamanian wants to work
He feels that he is entitled to a pen
sion from the United States for life, as
surely as the original Taft man is to
an Office The stores on Panamanfan
soil are kept mostly by emigrant for
eigners, including many Americans. In
their behalf does the Panama govern
ment protest against our commissary
It IS robbing them Of their business
by selling about everything that any
American consumes at cost price OF
prices which prevail in the United
States.
Native beef can not compete with
refrigerated beef or imported -four
with commissary flour. The exorbitanr
profits for which the Panamaniar
dealer hoped do not materialize, though
7 noticed no stores to let and / heard
fabulous tales of the income from
rents. But the gringo is. nevertheless
q miserable tyrant and no friend o
the local business. men. If the com.
missary went out Of business or raised
prices. however, the resultant outer,
from the zone would reach Wash
ington as soon as the cable could car
~ II.
Generally, the zone employees thfnl
Mr. Taft is always on the side of tn.
Panamanians. He has been the con
siderate nurse of the little republic
The spoiled child knows how to pla,
on his weak side. You are hurtfnI
mei'' cries the child. and the nurs
gives way on minor points before tn,
Panamanian lawyers. who are wonder
full pettifoggers. 1t is Mr.. Taft's in
tention never to err on the side o
injustice When It came to remun
Grating all the property owners 70
lands occupied for the Gatun lake, TIL
zone legal department settled wit
many privately for IS a hectare 70
unimproved land.
A commission half American. hal
Panamanian, was appointed to settl
for the rest Evidently the orders I
the American members were to finis
up the work some way or other with
out expense. They paid in the en-
from $500 to $500 for uninlproye
property, a most exorbitant price
But we had been fair. no matter whs
the cost. Aren't we the country O
the square deal"2
DUAL AUTHORITY
EXAsPERATING
II YOU wish to awaken interest o
the hottest Of humid days on the 18th
mus ask any American what woul
have been the situation If we had no
put a zone 10 miles broad under ou
authority. God knows" is the ejac
ulation with which the answer is usu
ally begun. Panama and Colon tn
two towns 1T either end, are both in
cluded in Panamanian territory, be-
cause our object was not contr,
over population. but a section
land. In going back and forth yo
are forever crossing that imaginar
line. A state within a state leads [
an exasperating confusion Of authorit,
Any culprit who falls into the hand
Of the Panamanian authorities ma
learn something Of the vagaries {
Spanish legal practices. An America
conductor, arrested for forcibly eject
ing a Panamanian from train, en-
ployed a Panamanian lawyer. VIII
drew his fee. fled a petition with tn
court, and the next thing that II
conductor knew he was sentenced {
three years in prison without a tris
or provision for rehearing, while tn
president OF Panama has not the powe
10 pardon.
There was an instance OF knifin
sailors recently and OF beating som
naval officers returning late (and nc
intoxicated) TO their ship: and. par
ticularly in the case Of the officers