Itookfinalactionin1903。Duringtheprecedingfifty-threeyearstheGovernmentsofNewGranadaandofitssuccessor，Colombia，hadbeeninaconstantstateofflux；andtheStateofPanamahadsometimesbeentreatedasalmostindependent，inalooseFederalleague，andsometimesasthemerepropertyoftheGovernmentatBogota；andtherehadbeeninnumerableappealstoarms，sometimesofadequate，sometimesforinadequate，reasons。ThefollowingisapartiallistofthedisturbancesontheIsthmusofPanamaduringtheperiodinquestion，asreportedtousbyourconsuls。Itisnotpossibletogiveacompletelist，andsomeofthereportsthatspeakof“revolutions“mustmeanunsuccessfulrevolutions：
July，1902——RevolutionTheaboveisonlyapartiallistoftherevolutions，rebellions，insurrections，riots，andotheroutbreaksthatoccurredduringtheperiodinquestion；yettheynumberfifty-threeforthefifty-threeyears，andtheyshowedatendencytoincrease，ratherthandecrease，innumbersandintensity。Oneofthemlastedfornearlythreeyearsbeforeitwasquelled；anotherfornearlyayear。Inshort，theexperienceofoverhalfacenturyhadshownColombiatobeutterlyincapableofkeepingorderontheIsthmus。OnlytheactiveinterferenceoftheUnitedStateshadenabledhertopreservesomuchasasemblanceofsovereignty。HaditnotbeenfortheexercisebytheUnitedStatesofthepolicepowerinherinterest，herconnectionwiththeIsthmuswouldhavebeensunderedlongbeforeitwas。In1856，in1860，in1873，in1885，in1901，andagainin1902，sailorsandmarinesfromUnitedStateswarshipswereforcedtolandinordertopatroltheIsthmus，toprotectlifeandproperty，andtoseethatthetransitacrosstheIsthmuswaskeptopen。In1861，in1862，in1885，andin1900，theColombianGovernmentaskedthattheUnitedStatesGovernmentwouldlandtroopstoprotectColombianinterestsandmaintainorderontheIsthmus。ThepeopleofPanamaduringtheprecedingtwentyyearshadthreetimessoughttoestablishtheirindependencebyrevolutionorsecession——in1885，in1895，andin1899。
ThepeculiarrelationsoftheUnitedStatestowardtheIsthmus，andtheacquiescencebyColombiainactswhichwerequiteincompatiblewiththetheoryofherhavinganabsoluteandunconditionedsovereigntyontheIsthmus，areillustratedbythefollowingthreetelegramsbetweentwoofournavalofficerswhoseshipswereattheIsthmus，andtheSecretaryoftheNavyontheoccasionofthefirstoutbreakthatoccurredontheIsthmusafterIbecamePresidentayearbeforePanamabecameindependent：
September12，1902。
Ranger，Panama：