Omaha daily bee., 1912-07-07

&GG0RM Arosemena, and he has now
3&&1&&2D been in office almost four
\ years. According to the Panama con-
stitution the president serves for only
four years, and he is not eligible to sue
coed himself. the constitution providing
that no man can be a candidate for the
presidency who has been president within
six months Of the presidential election.
DIR. Arosemena tried to avoid this provi-
sion by taking a six months leave of
absence last spring and allowing his
henchmen to run the administration in
his stead. However, after Secretary
Knox's visit this was found not popular
with the United States, and the president
gave UP the hope of a second term and
came back into office. The country is
now in the throes of a presidential cam
paign, although the new president will
not be elected or inaugurated for some
time to come.
A Talk with Arosemena.
n. met President Arosemena in the 18TH
mian White House, or, as 1t il known
here, the Government Palace. This is
big, white, two-story building of Spanish
architecture. 1t surrounds a patio filled
with palm trees. In the center OF which
is pond where huge turtles roll over
and over and splash about in the water.
found soldiers on guard as l entered
the palace with the American minister,
Mr.. H. Percival Dodge, and we saw more
soldiers at the wide stone stairway to
the second floor. At the top Of the stair
way we waited until our cards were sent
in and a moment later were ushered into
the long narrow parlor which forms the
audience room Of the mansion. This par
lor is furnished strangely for this land
of the tropics The floor is covered with
a warm velvet carpet, the windows are
yelled in hot-looking curtains. and the
gold plated furniture is upholstered and
<aot. At each end Of the room is a great
mirror in frame of gold and over the
windows hang lambrequins from gold
frames. s.... '
We waited but few minutes, when the
president entered. He is lean. dark
faced, black-eyed man Of medium height.
and he weighs, should judge, about 150
pounds, light He is seventy-four years
old, but is still in his prime. When the
minister introduced me was surprised
Ito hear the president address me in
English He speaks that tongue fluently
and it was in English that our conver-
sation was held. The first part Of it
related to the political situation, and l
asked as to whether there was any dan
ger of revolution, In case the admin
istration candidate should be defeated.
No Revolutions for Latin America.
There will be no revolution here" said
President Arosemena, ''and the day of
revolution is fast passing away as far
as the whole Of Latin America is con-
cerned AS for We Panahanians, we
have given up such foolishness, and we
expect to have no revolutions for all time
to come. think the same will be. the
case at no distant date throughout South
America 1t is already SO with Peru and
Chile We have now no revolutions in
Argentina and Brazil, and it will soon
be so in Colombia and Venezuela"
How about Central American asked.
THAT eventually will be the case with
when The people of some Of those
countries have had so many revolutions
that they may be said to have acquired
the revolution habit and it will be some
Arme before condition of permanent
peace can be established there. Never
theless. Central America is improving, al
though the several republics composing
1t are not so free as ours. We Panaman-
!ans have more liberty of speech For
instance, my enemies call me a tyrant
and make no reply. II one should de-
nounce certain Of the presidents OF the
republic north of US. he might hear from
his denunciation in no favorable way"
The Panama of the Future.
The conversation here turned to the
Panama republic and its prospects. and
President Arosemena said:
"I am enthusiastic over the future of
Panama. 1t is the baby Of the nations, |
the youngest of all of the republics. 1t !
is still in it's swaddling clothes, and is
just beginning to grow. Look at what
we are doing! Take the city Of Panama.
1t had only 12,oco people nine years ago,
and 1t has now $1,000. 1t will have $1,000
as soon as the canal is completed Colon,
at the other side Of the isthmus, had |
5000 population when You make your |
Deal with the French. 1t has 17,0O0 now, |
and we have other towns which have
greatly increased
But will not this population drop when |
We stop our work on the canal?'' asked |
81 think not" replied the president |