Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-07-10

The Isthmian Canal Law authorizes
the president to acquire for $40, OOO,'
900 the property, rights, franchises
records, etc., Of the new Panama
Canal Company Of France, including
not less than 68,S6S shares Of the
Panama Railroad Company's stock,
provided a satisfactory title to all can
be obtained; also, to acquire from
Colombia reasonable terms, perpetual
control Of a strip Of land six miles wide
from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific
Ocean, and jurisdiction Of the ports
at the extremities thereof. II all this
is not possible within a reasonable
time, then be is to undertake to build
a canal by the Nicaraguan route.
The limits Of cost are set at $780,
100000 for Panama or $4,000, 900
for Nicaragua, in addition to 100000
OOC appropriated outright for the nec'
essary preliminaries. A 2 per cent
popular loan Of $lSO,OOO,O0O is to be
Issued to meet all expenses,
PHILIPPINES LEGISLATION.
The Philippines Tariff Law estsb-
fishes the Dingley tariff on imports
into the United States from the Phil
ippines, subject to reduction Of %
per cent on articles produced in the
islands, and iorbids export duties in
the Philippines on ARTICLES intended
for consumption in the United States.
This law carries also some tonnage
tax and other shipping provisions
The law for the establishment OF q
civil government in the Philippines
contains most OF the bill Of rights in
our own constitution, and provides
for a census Of the archipelago, and
two years later, il peace continues
for a a native legislature. 1t creates
a judicial system and a system OF
public land and mining laws; pro-
vides for the purchase Of the property
of the religious orders and the issue
Of a A. per cent loan to raise the mon
ey to pay for them; authorizes mu'
nicipal bonds for public improvements
regulates the dispensation OF fran
chises, and provides for mint at
Manila to turn out a complete system
Of subsidiary coinage, the standard
coins being left for future legislation.
NATIONAL IRRIGATION.
The law for the irrigation OF the
arid lands OF the West sets apart all
money received from the sale OF pub
lie lands In the sixteen arid-land
States and Territories, in excess OF
the educational funds already created,
as a reclamation fund" to be used
In the development OF system oil
storage reservoirs and other irriga'
lion works, which could not be main
tained effactually under the differing
laws Of adjacent commonwealth.
OLEoMARGARINE.
The Oleomargine Law provides tor
, more rigid inspection Of renovated"
md process" butter products, in'
,reases the revenue taxes on all sub
,titutes for butter, and provides for
he punishment Of persons who deal
n these substitutes, II aftiicially pre-
pared to resemble butter. Drastic
rules are made to govern the package
md stamping of all imitation buffers.
WAR TAXES.
The law to repeal the war revenues
caves intact practically only two
axes Of those imposed in 1898 to raise
und for the war with Spain. These
ire on mixed flour, which will remain
Indefinitely, and on tea, which will
ease at the close OF the present year.
CHINESE EXCLUSION.
The new Chinese Exclusion law
continues all existing exclusion laws,
md extends them to the island
colonies OF the United States. Chi.
,ese lsbo -ers also are forbidden to
Migrate from one island colony to an
ther, except in the case Of islands in
be group, or to migrate from the is-
and colonies to the mainland. An
reception d made il favor Of Chinese