Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-04
CANAL RIGHT OF WAY
Negotiations With Colombian
Republic.
TERMS | OF PROTOCOL
PAYMENT OF $1,000, 900 TO BE
MADE.
Work Begun Of Examining Title Of
New Panama Company-Action
of French Courts.

The negotiations for the treaty between
the United States and Colombia by which
we Will acquire the right to build the Pan
anna canal, according to the terms of the
recent act of Congress, will begin in about
one week. Minister Concha OF Colombia
has already conferred with Secretary Hay
on the preliminaries of the negotiations.
1t is expected that Mr.. Hay will be out
of the city for the next few days and on
mis- return the actual negotiations will be
opened. Minister Concha has been fully
clothed with authority to proceed with the
treaty.
The main features of the treaty are pretty
well settled. as the protocol signed some
time ago was quite full in setting forth the
prospective arrangement in case Congress
acted favorably the Panama route.
Inc amount to be paid Columbia for a re-
Inquishment of exclusive rights to the
United States will be s7,000000 in gold,
payable ON the exchange of notifications of
the treaty, and in addition Colombia is to
receive an annuity at the end of fourteen
years, to be determined by mutual aggree-
ment at that time. This annuity is expect
ed to be 100000 a year, as the immediate
payment of 100000 covering the period Of
the next fourteen years Is considered a
basis for fixing the annual rental at $780,,
900. In transferring the rights of Colombia
to the United States the language used by
the act Of Congress will be followed to a
considerable extent and there will be trans
fer of such jurisdiction over the six-mile
zone as will permit the exercise of Ameri-
can authority, with American courts. san
1tary officers, police, etc. The question Of
transferring complete political sovereignty
Is about the only point which could raise
obstacles to the negotiations, burt 1t Is ex-
pected that this point will be avoided, as
the act Of Congress appears to contemplate
a transfer Of jurisdiction and not a trans
fer of political sovereignty. The Colombia
officials in Washington look forward to a
successful contamination of the negotia-
tons They say. however, that there is far
less popular demand in Colombia for the
Panama canal than there Is In Nicaragua,
for the Nicaragua route and this apathy
may delay the conclusion Of negotiations.
The treaty will have to be ratified by the
United States Senate and the Colombian
Legislature before it becomes effective This
is leading to some inquiry as to whether
the Senate to secure its ratification.
Mr.. Russell to Examine Records.
The Department Of Justice has intimated
| that the work incident to the carrying out
of the provisions of the Spooner amend
ment to the isthmian canal bill will be
prosecuted with the utmost expedition con-
sistent with the nature and magnitude Of
the interests involved. The Attorney Cen
eral has designated Charles H. Russell to
go to Paris and make q critical and ex-
haustive examination Of the records in the
case.
Mr.. Russell is an assistant to the Attor-
ney General in the Department of Justice
an accomplished French scholar, and in
every way exceptionally we'll equipped for
the task Under the direction Of Mr.. Knox,
Mr.. Russell will apply to the French court
of cessation, which Is the court of last APP
peal, to complete certain proceedings which
Is deemed essential.
AciI fr0r,, n to Nv 10 I,,ria will
be largely In verifying records and proceed
ings in the case, Of which the Attorney
General now has reputed transcripts. The
liquidation Of the old canal company and
the merger Of its interests in the new one
will receive Mr.. Russells careful scrutiny
While 1t Is thought that a perfect title to
the Panama canal property can be secured
and whatever cessions from the govern
ment of Colombia may be deemed essential
can be obtained through treaty with that
country, the Attorney General is unwilling
to express himself the subject further
than to say that he is hopeful of success,
but that everything will depend upon the
result of the inquiry to be instituted in
Paris and the specific concessions which
the government of Colombia is willing to
make. 1t Is possible that after the ex-
animation of the records in Paris shall have
been completed Mr.. Knox. himself may go
to France for a personal review of the
work before proceeding further with the
negotiations.
Action or french Courts.
The State Department officials are graft
fed at the action taken in the French
courts yesterday In non-suiting an applicant
who sought to challenge the soundness Of
the title Of the new Panama Canal Com
pany. This is regarded simplifying the
task which the Attorney General has under
taken, of establishing the ability of the
present canal company to transfer a sound
title. At the same time the officials have
never had any strong doubt Of their ability
to establish the title, for even If minor flaws
develop, they were confident that the
French government itself would come to the
rescue of the canal company In fact, that
government has already informed the
State Department of its disposition to for
ward the transfer so that small legal tech
nicalities will be soon swept away.
Mr.. Russell Begins His Task.
Assistant Attorney General Russell, who
has been selected to conduct the legal
phases of the transfer, has already entered
upon his task His work at present is. of
course, necessarily preliminary in charac-
ter, but 1t has already developed the fact
that much can be done in this country to-
ward settling title, and thus the work to be
done in Paris will be lessened. Admiral
Walker, the head of the isthmian canal
commission, has placed at Mr.. Russelrs
disposal considerable mass Of information
| wAich that commission has gathered in the
past two years bearing on the subject of
title. Ex-senator Pasco, also member of
the isthmian canal commission who has
made a special study Of the competency of
the Panama company to tr, lsfer its prom
erty to the United States, has indicated his
readiness to AFFORD any desired assistance
to Mr.. Russell. *
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