The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-01-13
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
BY j. +. Jones

The Republic Of Colombia insisted
very zeaously during the early days
of President Wilson's regime on beng
reimbursed to the extent of about
$40, OOO, 900 because Roosevelt stole
Panama" from them. Henry NJ. Hill,
and raised at Panama, recently came
to Washington, and when he found
that this issue was still alive, he pro-
ceeded to attack it vigorously. His
leaves no doubt about his
knowledge of the details of the has
tory of his country. Mr.. Hill in a
statement entitled The Independence
of Panama" reviews the avarice of
Spain in attempting to hold control
over Central and South American
peoples. Two great principles OF
republics must be borne in mind" he
says. First of these is, that, in spite
Of some attempts TO keep certain ter
ritory within the limits of some re-
public by force, in general each ter
ritorial region has been permitted, III
the end, to determine for itself the
question OF its union, with, or separa-
ton IrOm, other territories, and CD
the general tendency has always been
away from large republics and TO.
ward the development oil local indie
r,,,Iap., ~ Mr. IIiIl chl,-. 1hat tho
history Of the United States of Co.
lombia has been a striking illustra-
ton OF this second principle, and tax
ing up his own Panama as an Illus
lratiOn, he shows that it become in
dependent OF Spain as early as 1921
without the aid OF Colombia, and that
it afterwards joined with Colombia
purely as an act Of her W wolf
tion," and rendered material assist
ance to Colombia in establishing her
independence. In 1880 Panama sep
arated herself from Colombia, but re-
turned to the union, but on a second
occasion Panama remained separate
from Colombia, for nearly a year,
when it returned to its place in the
Colombia government following peace
full overtures that contained many
promises which proved, according to
Mr.. Hill, to be "~specious." In 1910
Panama again maintained her indie
pendence for two years, when she
was again 'cajoled into reunion with
Colombia"
There is a good old Yankee saying
of three times and out" Panama
however, separated again from Co
lombia in 1850 but was compelled TO
return to Colombian control by force
of arms. The people of Panama de-
termined that when the time came
they would strike for a permanent in
dependence, and with an %undaunted
spirit they waited until the third &C.
November, 1903, when for the ffth
and last time they successfully pTo-
claimed themselves as an inder no
ent government.
Mr.. Hill says he is prepaleG to
prove that the United States had no
knowledge of the revolution for indie
pendence until it was an accomplished
fact; but quite naturally his people
at Panama were rejoiced beyond
measure when the United States
promptly made the independence CT
Panama certain and assured their po-
sition in the world through the recog-
notion proclaimed by President Roose-
welt. The statement is an interesting
contribution to Panama history, and
it serves to drive another nail in the
factucus claims of Colombia and its
wailing plea for American millions.
An interesting summary of the rail-
road situation has been furnished by
Thomas Dewitt Cuyler, chairman of
the Association of Railway Execu-
tives, in a statement reviewing the
railroad situation for the year 1920.
Mr.. Cuyler says that under private
operation during the year, the rail
roads moved a larger gross tonnage
than ever before, and also established
new records in the amount of trans
Statement Of the Condition NJ