1903 - Political Events

Political Events

U.S. gunboat diplomacy expedites construction of a Panama Canal (see 1902). The Hay-Herran Treaty signed January 22 by Secretary of State John Hay and the foreign minister of Colombia provides for a six-mile strip across the Isthmus of Panama to be leased to the United States for $10 million plus annual payments of $250,000. Many at Washington have favored a route across Nicaragua, but French engineer-promoter Philippe Jean Bunau-Varilla, 42, has made a deal with New York lawyer William (Nelson) Cromwell, 49, of Sullivan and Cromwell, approached Cleveland industrialist Mark Hanna, warned of possible volcanic eruptions in Nicaragua, and persuaded Hanna to favor the route across Panama. Cromwell has made a $60,000 contribution to the Republican party. The treaty wins Senate ratification March 17, and gives $40 million to stockholders in the French canal company, many of whom are now U.S. speculators, while stipulating that Colombia is to give up all rights to sue for any portion of the $40 million and give up all police powers in the contemplated canal zone. When Colombia's Senate votes unanimously August 12 to reject the Hay-Herran Treaty, President Roosevelt calls the Colombians "Dagos," "cat-rabbits," "homicidal corruptionists," and "contemptible little creatures." Bunau-Varilla has his wife stitch up a flag for a new Panamanian republic, meets in room 1162 of New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel with a physician who works for the cross-isthmus railroad that is represented by William Cromwell, and provides him with a secret code, a declaration of independence, the flag, the draft of a Panamanian constitution, and transportation back to Panama.

Britain, France, and Italy sign a treaty February 13 agreeing to lift the blockade of Venezuelan ports (see 1902).

U.S. Marines occupy the Dominican Republic to maintain order March 30 and will remain for 2 years (see 1904).

The U.S. cruiser Nashville arrives in Panamanian waters November 3. Panama declares her independence, the railroad refuses to transport Colombian troops sent to put down the provincial revolt, Secretary Hay recognizes Panama's independence November 6, Bunau-Varilla is named Panamanian ambassador to the United States, and on November 18 he signs a treaty on the same general terms as those rejected by Colombia in the Hay-Herran Treaty, granting "rights in perpetuity . . . as if [the United States] were the sovereign" but not granting outright sovereignty. New York financier J. P. Morgan receives $40 million for transfer to the French canal company stockholders, whose names lawyer William Cromwell refuses to divulge to a Senate committee. Cromwell receives $800,000 for his legal services (see 1904).

The Alaska Boundary Tribunal settles a dispute between Canada and the United States over the boundary between British Columbia and the Alaska panhandle, adopting the U.S. position that it should follow the crest of the Boundary Ranges. Mapping of the area will be completed in 1913.

Former Spanish prime minister Práxedes Mateo Sagasta dies at Madrid January 5 at age 77; Filipino revolutionist Apolinario Mabini at Manila May 13 at age 38, having been released from imprisonment on Guam by U.S. authorities a few months earlier.

Serbian conspirators invade the royal palace and assassinate Aleksandr I Obrenovic at his native Belgrade June 10 after he tries to make some unconstitutional changes (see 1900). Dead at age 27, he has reigned since 1889 and ruled personally since 1893, alienating his subjects with his authoritarian policy. The Obrenovic dynasty that has ruled since 1858 ends with his death; his wife, Draga, now 37, is also killed, as are some 20 members of his court. The Serbian assembly votes June 15 to elect Prince Peter Karageorgevic, 59, to succeed Aleksandr, he will reign until 1921 as Peter I, and Serbians are generally happy about the coup d'état, but the new king is a puppet of the conspirators who murdered Aleksandr, and they restore the constitution of 1889 (see Black Hand Society, 1911).

A Macedonian insurrection against Constantinople ends after roving bands of Serbs, Greeks, and Bulgarians have ravaged the country. A Russo-Austrian reform program organizes a gendarmerie with Muslim and Christian constables assigned according to the makeup of local populations; the reformers appoint foreign officers, and they reorganize the Macedonian financial system.

Former British prime minister Robert Cecil, 3rd marquess of Salisbury, dies at his native Hatfield, Hertfordshire, August 22 at age 73.

Failure of the Russians to evacuate Manchuria under last year's Russo-Chinese agreement brings Japanese notes that the Russians contemptuously ignore (see 1904).

A manifesto issued by Czar Nicholas II March 12 concedes reforms, including religious freedom, but resentment against the czar mounts as famine takes a heavy toll. Former U.S. minister to Russia and onetime abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay is adjudged insane and dies soon thereafter (July 22) at his Madison County, Ky., estate White Hill at age 92. Russian industrial wages fall beginning in October while food prices rise; half the nation lives in dire poverty, and more than 90 million peasants are treated little better than serfs on lands owned for the most part by absentee landlords (see 1905).

Bolsheviks (extremists) led by V.I. Lenin split off from Mensheviks (moderates) at the London Congress of the Social Democratic party November 17 (see 1900). Revolutionary Leon Trotsky (originally Lev Davidovich Bronstein), 24, escaped from a Siberian prison camp last year and has joined Lenin at London (see 1905).

British forces complete the conquest of northern Nigeria.

Boston authorities indict local politician James Michael Curley, 29, and his brother Thomas on charges of having taken civil service examinations for job applicants (see 1904).

"Everybody is talking about Tammany men growing rich on 'graft,'" says New York political boss George Washington Plunkitt, 61, "but nobody thinks of drawing the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. There's an honest graft, and I'm an example of how it works. I would sum up the whole thing by saying, 'I seen my opportunities and I took 'em.'" A long-time opponent of civil service reforms, Plunkitt will leave an estate of between $500,000 and $1.5 million when he dies late in 1924.

Former U.S. senator Henry L. Dawes dies at Pittsfield, Mass., February 5 at age 86, having authored the 1887 legislation that allocated lands to Native Americans.