I am pro-Hispanic, but I remember the debates. It had nothing to do with dislike or fear of Panama. It had more to do with "We bought it, we built it, it's ours."
Was TR doing some strong-arming? Yes. But there would not be an independent Panama without it. They got plenty of dough, and we didn't have the Red Chinese managing things.
The company partially owned by the Chinese is managing the ports and not the Canal.
The article has one little dig at the Americans that I think needs some light shed on it. The accident rate went down when the ACP changed what was deemed an accident. Under the old Canal Authority, any ship touching anything was written up and reviewed. The ACP however does not follow this practice.
Also, there are still plenty of Americans working at the ACP. Mostly in management and there you are. The Canal is working just as well under the ACP as the Americans :-)