The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-05
LITTLE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA
 CELEBRATES 9TH BIRTHDAY

Panama, the little republic through
 which Uncle Sam is now digging the Independence Day. Sunday. It was on the third of November, 1903, that Panama ceased to be a province of
 Colombia and set up governmental Patriotic processions and a great va riety of festive entertainm enfs and
 Colon and the other cities and towns.
 Since Panama became a. ward of the
 United States-for the boast of inde- pendence is only a pleasant fiction ia1 and intellectual, among the people
 of the coast and along the lines of the canal Sanitary conditions have
 been so vastly improved. under the direction of United States army sur igeons, that from a pest hole the lit tie republic has been transformed into have been built and other arrange nents made for caring for the army of tourists. A dozen steamship lines will run excursions to Panama during of thousands of visitors from the Northland many will remain all win ter. This tourist trade alone has added greatly to Panama's wealth.
 In the interior of Panama, however, conditions remain much the same as before the revolution of nine years of Panama the Eardy adventurer may find a terro incognita practically ua1- known to all but the native San Bias IndIaps From these Junglss .,ieN rev and the fortunate few have told stor- ies of incredible hardships.
 The natives of the Panama interior have consuming hatred for the pale face that has continued since the bloody days of the conQuistadores. Pedrarias the Cruel, the first Spanish sors waged cruel warfare on the Indians, and eventually succeeded in wiping out all the tribes except the San Bias redskins who sought refuge could not follow. There they have re- mained ever since, as free as they were in the days of Columbus. When the Spaniards were driven from Pana- ma, the San Bias tribe refused al- Iegiance to the republic and the pres ent Panama. government has been as them as were Colombia and Spain.
 Despite their ferocious hatred of all whites, the San Bias redskins are not wholly uncivilized. Most of them speak Spanish and they have evident ly heard of the proverb, When in Rome do as the Romans do," for on their visits to Panama or other towns they adopt in part the dress of the white man They were brave fighters in the revolutions that convu1sed Pan ma before the strong arm of Uncle Sam put an end to such pastimes. but in their soldering they were not an- ifhated by any spirit of patroiotism. They were mere mercenaries, soldiers Of fortune, hiring themselves out to fight for the highest bidder, and re- turning to their jungle home when the cruel war was over. Their women Stay strictly at home, and a San Bias ha1fbreed would be a freak worthy of exhibition in a museum. In this they differ vastly from the more civilized of Panama, who are mongre1 lot The average Panamanian has in his veins the blood of Spaniard, negro. In dian and .'greaser'' and not few have also an admixture of Chinese.
 The San Bias Indians have resisted all attempts to Christianize them, and continue faithful to their pagan wor- ship They have an immense regard for their idols, the chief of which is called TOnai-Beebe