File No. 819.00/352.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Panama, December 29, 1911.
Sir: I have the honor to report that Señor Ricardo Arias, who was some months ago appointed Panaman Minister to the United States and who, as reported in my telegram of yesterday’s date, left yesterday for this post, called upon me the day before his departure saying that before leaving Panama he wished to again talk over his political plans and those of his friends. He did not wish for any intervention by the United States, but considered that if his plans were to have any chance of success the American Government must exercise a certain moral influence over the Government of Panama, which it would be entirely willing to accept. Moreover, if the Government of Panama was allowed to go on as it had been going on, an intervention by the United States must eventually ensue. He believed in order to preserve the existence of the Government of Panama, especially that the suffrage should be limited and that Panama and Colon should be made free ports, that there should be some means of rigidly controlling the expenditures of the Government and that there should be an entire reform of the present administrative departments, and particularly the school system, all [Page 1134] of which were extremely inefficient. He and his friends were resolved to support President Arosemena’s Candidacy for the next presidential elections, as they considered him a good man although he had faults.
President Arosemena’s friends had recently discreetly sounded Señor Boyd, Minister for Foreign Affairs (who is the Second Designado), as to his willingness to assume Chargé of the Executive Power when President Arosemena availed himself of the leave of absence granted to him. Señor Boyd had let it be known that he would not be willing to assume charge, as he considered himself also to be a candidate and this would render his candidacy constitutionally illegal. Personally he did not believe that Señor Boyd had much chance of being chosen a candidate unless the American Government decided to support him, which he thought Señor Boyd expected to be the case. The two candidates would undoubtedly be Dr. Porras and Dr. Arosemena. Dr. Samuel Lewis, Señor Rodolfo Chiari, and Señor de Icaza he thought had no real chances of being candidates.
In reply I expressed my great interest in all he had told me, but reminded him of my former statement to him (Despatch No. 5) to the effect that the American Government “will take no part in and indicate no preference as to this election.” This attitude of my Government, I added, must by this time be well known to all the leading men of Panama, especially as it had lately been reiterated by the President of the United States in his message on foreign affairs to the Congress of the United States. Señor Arias admitted this to be true, but he evidently hopes, perhaps through his own efforts in Washington, to be able to secure some change in it for the benefit of his candidate.
I have [etc.]