The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
Lock Type Adopted, Following the Sys-
tenn at Sault Ste. Marie with Which
American Engineers Were Familiar.
Finds Fault with Work Of Com
mission.

mission.
When, in August 1903, became convinced
that Colombia intended to repudiate the treaty
made the preceding January, under cover OF
securing its rejection by the Colombian legisla-
be done By my direction Secretary Hay, per-
sonallv and through the Minister at Bogota, re-
peatedy warned Colombia that grave conse-
uuences might follow her rejection of the trea-
tv. The possibility of ratification did not wholly
pass away until the close of the session of the
Colombian Congress on the last day of October.
There would then be two possibilities One was
that Panama would remain quiet In that case
was prepared to recommend to Congress that
we should at once occupy the Isthmus anyhow,
and proceed to dig the canal; and had drawn
out draft of my message to this effect. But
from the information l received, l deemed it
likely that there would be revolution in Pas
anna as soon as the Colombian Congress ad-
journed without ratifying the treaty, for the en-
tire population of Panama felt that the imme-
diate building of the canal was of vital concern
to their well-being. Correspondents of the diff
ferent newspapers on the Isthrnus had sent to
their respective papers widely published forecasts
indicating that there would be a revolution in
such event
Revolution Impending
ott Of
Lieutenant General Young, Capt. Humphrey and
Lieut.. Young, two army officers who had re-
turned from the Isthmus, saw me and told me
that there would unquestionably be revolution
on the Isthmus, that the people were unanimous
in their criticism of the Bogota government and
their disgust over the failure of that government
to ratify the treaty; and that the revolution
would probably take place Immediately after the
adjournment of the Colombian Congress. They
did not believe that it would be before October
20, but they were confident that it would GER
tainly come at the end of October or inlnedi-
ately afterward, when the Colombian Congress
had adjourned. Accordingly l directed the
Navy Department to station various ships with
in easy reach of the I5thmus to be ready to act
in the event of need arising.
Panama in Revolt.
These ships were barely in time. On No
venber the revolution occurred. Practically
everybody on the Isthmus, including all the Co.
lombian troops that were already stationed there,
Joined in the revolution, and there was no blood
shed. But on that same day four hundred new
Colombian troops were landed at Colon. For
tunatelv the gunboat Nashville, under Com
mander Hubbard, reached Colon almost imme
diately afterward, and when the commander of
the Colombian forces threatened the lives and
property of the American citizens, including
women and children, in Colon, Commander Hub
bard landed few score sailors and marines to
protect them. BY mixture of frmness and
tact he not only prevented any assault on
citizens, but persuaded the Colombian comman-
der to re-embark his troops for Cartagena. On
the Pacific side Colombian gunboat shelled the
city of Panama, with the result of killing one
Chnaman-the only life lost in the whole af
fair
No one connected with the American govern
ment had any part in preparing, melting, or en-
couraging the revolution, and except for the re-
ports of our military naval officers, which | for
warded to Congress, no one connected with the
government had any previous knowledge con-
cerning the proposed revolution except such
was accessible to any person who read the news
papers and kept abreast of current questions and
current affairs. By the unanimous action of its
people, and without the firing of a shot, the
state of Panama declared itself an independent
republic. The time for hesitation on our part
had passed
Colombia Meant to Confscate
My belief then was, and the events that have