Arias, Ricardo, 1852-1927

President-elect Taft encloses a letter from Sir Harry Johnston about the dreadful conditions at the Hotel Imperial in Colón, and his own reply. He found Johnston’s decision to complain at length about his personal discomfort to another country’s head of state perplexing. Taft’s wife, Helen Herron Taft, did not share his “intense amusement” at Johnston’s “extremely English” tone. Taft also encloses the self-explanatory letter he wrote to President Jose Domingo de Obaldia of Panama after a call from Obaldia’s competitor, Ricardo Arias. Taft is disgusted by Representative Henry Thomas Rainey’s “diatribes” in the House of Representatives.

 

 

 

Governor Blackburn relays the results of his investigation into the upcoming election in Panama. While the majority of people prefer candidate Jose Domingo de Obaldia, current president Manuel Amador Guerrero supports candidate Ricardo Arias and is attempting to rig the election in his favor. In particular, Amador Guerrero has dispatched police to suppress voting, and removed three provincial governors who supported Obaldia and installed three partisans who will support Arias. Blackburn has made it clear that the United States will not recognize a president elected through corrupt practices.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-05

Creator(s)

Blackburn, Joseph C. S. (Joseph Clay Stiles), 1838-1918

Citing further evidence of a plot to commit fraud to secure the election of Ricardo Arias in Panama, Secretary of War Taft asks President Roosevelt if he should go to President Manuel Amador Guerrero and warn him that the United States will intercede in future elections if the current election is unfair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-10

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Secretary of War Taft informs Panama President Amador Guerrero that the United States is aware of plans to fraudulently rig the upcoming election for Ricardo Arias over Jose Domingo de Obaldia. Taft warms Amador Guerrero that if this occurs, the United States will be forced to intervene in the election. He includes a quotation from President Roosevelt stating as such.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-12

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930