The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-01-23
FOR PANAMA ROUTE
Commission Now Makes Unan:-
nous Report to President.
COMPANY CAN GIYECLEAR TITLE
Company's Offer to Sell For o,ooo,-
900 Has Completely Changed
Canal Situation, Says.
Report.

A Washington special says: Th'
canal commission on the proposition
Of the Panama Canal Company to dis
pose Of it's property to the United
States for $40,000,000 was delivered
to President Roosevelt Saturday even
ing. The members Of the commission
decline to discuss the nature Of the re
port and like reticence is maintained
at the white house, but it was stated
On excellent authority that the repor;
unanimously recommends that the Of
fer Of the Panama company be &C
cepted
The report, it is stated, is very vo
luminous, going into all phases Of
the question and attempting to meet
the objections that any legal compli'
cations will arise out Of the purchase
or that there will be any interna,
tional difficulties should the deal be
consummated.
The report was completed about
o'clock Saturday evening, and after
being signed by the members of the
commission was carried by Admiral
Walker, chairman Of the commission.
to Secretary Hay, who transmitted it
to the president. The latter will send
the report to congress Immediately.
The report goes fully into the steps
which must be taken in order to in
sure perfect title to the United
States, for in addition to the present
Panama Canal Company, the old Or
ganization and the Colombian govern
ment must be reckoned with. The
report finds, however, it is said, that
the new company can give a clear
title.
1t is stated that the report says
that when the commission made its
recent report favoring the Nicaragua
route no offer to sell to this govern
ment had been made by the Panama
company. The offer of s40,000,o00
made in behalf of the company by M.
rLampre, it Is said, changes the situa-
tion completely.
Il is further stated that the report
shows that little over one thousand
shares Of Panama railroad stock is
owned by individuals outside the
Panama Canal Company, and that
these can be purchased for compara-
lively small sum. Other obstacles to
the sale, the report says, have also
been removed.
May Delay Congressional Action.
The probability Of the latest devel-
opments, so complicating the situa-
ton as to make impossible the passage
of any canal bill at this session of
congress, is being seriously advanced
In congressional circles in view of the
understood action Of the isthmian ca
nal commission in giving its indorse-
ment to the Panama purchase. Ex-
treme reticence is being maintained at
the white house concerning the con-
tents Of this report, and members OF
the commission decline to discuss 1t
In Difference to the expressed wish Of
the president.
There seems 10 question, however,
that this supplemental report is a
more or less strong Endorsement of the
Panama project. While a great
many people here do not care particu-
larly as between the different routes,
just SO long as there is a canal, they
feel that the negotiations over the
Panama route are so backward, as
compared with those over the Nicara-
qua route, that even if the former
does appear the better thing on its
face, it will be impossible to set the
work going by legislation at this ses-
sion. There is no disposition, except
on the part Of few people, to charge
the Panama project is put forward
solely in the interest of delay.