File No. 819.00/427.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Panama, July 1, 1912.
Sir: * * * Election day itself passed off practically without disorder in Panama City, and all the voting arrangements made by the supervisor proved satisfactory. There were, of course, a few rows. Certain officers of the Panaman police attempted at first to interfere with voters, but were soon made to desist; and there was undoubtedly much repeating by both parties. It will be practically impossible to stop this until a new voting system is adopted. In Colon proceedings also were orderly, except just before the closing of the polls, when some rowdies became somewhat unruly. Reports received from supervisors in other districts are not yet complete (some 15 are still to be heard from), but appear to show that except in a few districts the election passed off satisfactorily and with few disturbances of a minor character. In the large majority of districts the authority of supervisors was respected by the authorities. Also in these provisional districts there was much repeating by both sides. The poll throughout the Republic is undoubtedly the largest ever cast.
In a few districts the Diistas left the polls toward the end of the day, and in one they refused to appear at all, charging in all these [Page 1155] cases partiality of the supervisors. Also since the close of the polls the committee has received several notes from Señor Chiari, quoting the text of telegrams from local officials or Diista organizations making the most violent charges of partiality against supervisors. The committee is about to determine upon some steps to investigate these charges, such as possibly sending some man of well-known impartiality to examine into these charges on the spot where sufficient proof is offered and make a reasonable case. In view of the high character of the men sent as supervisors, it would seem most unlikely that these charges have any foundation other than the anger and disappointment of those making them. Should the charges be found to be justified, according to the instructions to supervisors, the elections in any such districts can be annulled by the committee and other elections held, provided the partiality can be shown to have affected the result of the election in question.
Undoubtedly there is an extremely bitter feeling against the committee among the Diistas, who apparently have believed that they would be able, through the Government, to prevent supervision from being effective. The committee have no doubt but that without supervision the Government, through its police and officials, would have been able to secure the election of its candidate for the presidency. No doubt this is the real reason for their bitterness toward the committee and their charges against supervisors. The Diistas will probably not give up without another struggle, and this will very likely be directed against the committee through the Panaman Minister in Washington. Apparently corroborative of this is the reported departure (which I have not as yet been able to verify) for Washington of Señor Carlos Constantino Arosemena, ostensibly with a view to selling certain land.
I have [etc.]