Arizona republican., 1910-11-07
PHoENIx. ARIZONA. NOV. ', 1910
Mir. Taft's Problem at Panama.


 When President Taft starts on his voyage to Panama this week it will be the second time that an American presi- dent has journeyed to foreign shores President Roosevelt's trip to Pan- anna being the first instance-and his trip will be notable in another re- spect: the future existence of an in dependent government will in all probability hang on the conclusions reached by him.
 Whether the toy republic" of Pan one of the problems that will be set tied by the American government in the near future.
 It has always been obvious that the resources of Panama were scarce ly equal to the maintenance of an independent republic, and the inapti- tude of the people for self govern ment has made the situation still more difficult. The revenues of the
 
 dinary needs, and extravaganza and mismanagement have plunged the country into hopeless debt.
 Sundry solutions of the problem have been. suggested-that the government be continued, with an American resi- dent agent in real control, and with the principal jobs in the government filled by Americans; that the Amer ican zone be widened so as to cover twenty-five miles on each side of the canal, the remaining fractions of ter ritory to be absorbed by Colombia and Costa Rica, and, as third solu- tion, that Colombia reassume sov- ereignty over the territory now in cluded within the republic of Panama. A fourth suggestion is that all of Panama be annexed to the United States
 Whatever the presidents recom- mendation may be, they are sure to precipitate lively debate in congress, but MT. Tafts conclusions, reached after careful study, are likely to be accepted.
 And, incidentally, we may say that whatever the people of Panama may think about it, their fate will be de- cided at Washington and not by themselves-a state of facts of which we of Arizona should have some un- derstanding.
 The republic of Panama came into existence like a meteor flashing across the sky. It developed from the exi- gencies of a situation which had sorely perplexed President Roosevelt. Where the idea originated may never be definitely stated by history, but there is a robust belief that Mir. Roosevelt could tell the story That he connived at the revolution where by the state of Panama seeded from the republic of Colombia and set up in the republic business for itself, overnight, was violently charged by
 
 the time, but if they were correct in their assumptions cuts no figure now, and history will deal kindly with MT | Roosevelt in the matter. If, indeed, | the revolution was not engineered | from Washington, it happened most | fortuitously, for it cleared away very | ohe &A oel the canal As soon as it became | known in Colombia that the negotia- tions between the American govern ment and the French owners of the canal concession had taken a favor able turn, the grafters in control of the Colombian government attempted to perpetrate a villainous holdup on Uncle Sam. The blackmail demanded ran into many millions of dollars, and MT. Roosevelt was determined that he wouldn't pay it.
 Instead of getting several millions in gold, Colombia lost Panama, and got jeering laugh from the world. So the republic" of Panama has served its purpose, so far as the American people are concerned And in this. as in some other cases, it is for the statesmanship of MT. Taft to deal with a necessary heritage from the preceding administration.