To-day the President of the United States receives M. Bunau
Varilla as Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Panama, which will thus be recognised as a de jure as well as a de facto Government. The French Republic has also recognised the newest American Republic. On the whole, American opinion warmly supports the action of President Roosevelt, though the Democrats in the Senate are said to believe that later on the incident will prove of advantage to them from a party point of view. Whether this will be so turns upon the question, " Will the United States escape without warlike or political complications with Colombia?" If Colombia makes "the loss of her most valuable province," as she threatens, a ground for repudiating her debts, which are largely held in Europe, difficulties might arise which would conceivably prove diplo- matically disagreeable ; but the notion that any of the Conti- nental European Powers would make the matter an excuse for challenging the Monroe doctrine seems to us rather far- fetched. The only real danger, in our opinion, is an attempt by the Colombian Government to invade the new Republic by land. The distances and deserts, the mountains and the tropical forests and rivers, are, however, likely to make this practically impossible ; and as America has command of the sea, Colombia cannot send troops in steamers. The only other doubtful point is the feeling of the other South American Republics generally. Will they begin to dread their great Protector so much as to become actually hostile ? We shall see. Meantime the making of the canal is now assured, which is an immense benefit for mankind.
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