File No. 819.00/433.
The American Minister to Secretary of State.
Panama, July 8, 1912.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 153 of the 1st instant, I have the honor to inform you that since the municipal elections on the 30th ultimo the supervisory committee has continued to receive numerous notes from Señor Chiari, Minister for Foreign A if airs, usually transcribing telegrams addressed to the Government or Unión Patriótica by local district leaders, complaining, often in most excited language, of alleged partiality shown by the supervisors to the Porrista party. In cases where these charges were so general as to make an investigation impossible the committee has requested the Government to furnish the facts, promising an investigation in that event. In cases where definite facts were alleged the committee addressed telegrams to the supervisors concerned requesting an investigation and report. The reports furnished in reply by these supervisors have appeared satisfactory to the committee and have been transmitted to Señor Chiari, who has been invited when this has appeared proper to submit any further evidence. In no case thus far has the evidence submitted been of such a character as to make it seem desirable to send some one to conduct an investigation on the spot. It may be noted that these complaints received from Señor Chiari only relate to some 13 districts where the result of the polling was especially close.
Since the 30th ultimo also numerous complaints have been received from the supervisors in some 20 districts, many of them—those complained of by the Government—stating serious failures on the part of the authorities to enable them to execute the instructions to supervisors of voting, notwithstanding the efforts of the committee detailed in my despatch No. 153 of the 1st instant, and President Arosemena’s repeated assurances and telegraphic instructions to the local officials. The principal difficulties, as might have been anticipated, were to secure execution of the President’s agreement placing the police and their armament at the disposal of the committee. The local authorities did all in their power to have the police remain armed. In these districts also the supervisors reported that the Government was endeavoring in many ways to intimidate the Porrista voters, making use extensively of a system of arresting the Porrista leaders in order not only to intimidate their followers but to break up their party organization. Complaints similar to those of the supervisors were received continually from the representatives of the Porrista party. From these reports the committee became convinced that the Government had by no means abandoned its struggles to win the presidential election on the 14th by the usual processes of intimidation and playing fast and loose with its agreements. At the same time rumors which seemed to have some foundation were current to the effect that at the next elections the Government would entirely refuse to observe its agreements and make an attempt to win the election at all costs.
[Page 1157]The committee thereupon considered it necessary to have an interview with President Arosemena and place the situation clearly before him, at the same time making certain categorical demands which appeared to be covered by the authority already granted to it and which appeared to be absolutely necessary to end the continued prevarication of the authorities and do away with at least their most powerful means of intimidation. Moreover, if President Arosemena really desired a fair election there seemed to be no good reason why he should have any objection to granting them. These demands were (1) that the instructions contained in the President’s telegram of the 28th ultimo to the governors and alcaldes should be reissued; (2) that all firearms in the possession of the police should be deposited under such guard as the supervisor might appoint from now until the end of the electoral period; (3) that the supervisors should have all proper facilities to investigate all cases of arrest, so as to prevent arrests for electoral purposes; and (4) that such instructions should be given as to prevent any further failure of the authorities to allow persons entitled thereto under decree 44 of the 20th ultimo to vote.
Upon hearing these demands of the committee the President appeared to be considerably excited and complained again of the partiality of the supervisors. He requested the committee to confirm its demands in writing. This was done to-day.
On the 6th instant Señor Ramón Arias Feraud, jr., a son-in-law of the Minister in Washington, and a member, though not a leading one, of the Unión Patriótica, called upon Colonel Goethals and, stating that all he wished was to secure honest government, asked him for his “advice” as to whether the committee would be willing to present to the representatives of the Porrista party a proposition to the effect that the Unión Patriótica would retire from further activity if the Porrista party would guarantee to the United States that when they took office they would place the police and finances under American supervision and reform the electoral laws. Colonel Goethals reported this conversation to the committee, which unanimously authorized him to reply to Señor Arias that it would be willing to convey such a proposal to the Porrista representatives, provided it was made formally by the Unión Patriótica. To-day, however, Señor Arias handed to the committee, instead of the proposal mentioned, another signed by the directors of the Unión Patriótica, stating that, in case it won the elections, the Unión Patriótica agreed (1) to reorganize the police according to a plan to be agreed upon by the Panaman and American Governments; (2) to request the Assembly to create the post of auditor of the treasury, to which an American would be appointed; and (3) to present a bill to the Assembly for changing the present defective election laws. The committee thereupon informed Señor Arias that it could do nothing with such a proposal; and he stated that he would endeavor again to have the Unión Patriótica make the proposal he first mentioned, which some of the more impetuous members had as yet refused to consider. He promised a reply to the committee for to-morrow, which, if it is the proposal first mentioned by Señor Arias, will then simply be handed to the Porras representatives as at the request of the Diista party. Should the Porrista party accept it, the matter will then be telegraphed to the Department with a recommendation that the Department authorize [Page 1158] the committee to communicate to both parties its acceptance of the promises made to it by the Porrista party in connection with the agreement between both parties. It seems likely that the Posristas would accept such an arrangement if offered, in view of certain declarations of Dr. Porras, but it seems less likely that the Unión Patriótica will agree to make this offer. Nothing certainly could be more advantageous to Panama than placing their finances and police under American supervision and thus removing the two worst features of the Panaman Government—incurable extravagance and despotic police.
Referring to the Department’s telegram of July 3, the Unión Patriótica has to-day presented a note to the committee stating that the recent elections had been fraudulent in nearly all districts and that the Unión Patriótica desired to present proofs of this, which it possessed. The committee has replied to this, stating that it will give earnest consideration to the proofs which the Unión Patriótica may care to submit.
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