The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-12
Ready to Grant All Necessary
Canal Concessions
MAY REQUIRE ALL SUMMER
Minister Couch Deems 1t Expedient
That the Government Be Made
Acquainted With Smallest
Details-Cause Delay.

Washington, July I.-With the expec-
tation of signing the treaty by which Co
lombia will confer all necessary rights
incident to the building of the Panama
csnall by the United States government
Senior Concha, the Colombian minister;
DIR. Herses, Mr. Heron, secretary of le-
cation, and William Nelson Cromwell.
representing the Panama Canal and
Railroad Companies. are busily engaged
in going over certain points in the treaty
which must be modified before the
treaty can be signed.
1t is understood that the modification
either directly or Indirectly involves the
question cf sovereignty.
Apparently important differences and
obscurities exist in the ithmian canal
act and the treaty presented by Colom-
bia. which may not however, exist in
their spirit Section two of the canal
act authorizes the President to acquire
from Colombia perpetual control of a
strip of land, which control shall indulge
jurisdiction over said strip and the ports
at the ends thereof; to make such po-
lice and sanitary rules and regulations
as shall be necessary to preserve order
and preserve the public health thereon .
etc
From this portion of the act it would
appear that the United States alone is
to make police and sanitary regulations
for the canal strip and establish judicial
tribunals for their enforcement. Yet arti-
Gle of the draft canal treaty. provides
for the creation of "a joint commission
United States that shall establish and en-
force sanitary and police regulations.
Article of the treaty provides that
''the rights and privileges granted to tho
United States by the terms or this con-
vention shall not affect the sovereignty
of the Republic of Colombia over the ter
ritory within whose boundaries such
rights and privileges are to be exercised"
The United States freely acknowledges
and recognizes this sovereignty and dis
avows any intention to impair 1t in any
way whatever or to increase its territory
at the expense of Colombia or of any
of the sister republics in Central or South
America, but on the contrary 1t desires
to strengthen the power of the republics
on this continent and to promote, de-
velope and maintain their prosperity and
independence
1t appears to be the task now before the
parties to the proposed convention to de-
fine with absolute clarity the extent and
limits Of the control or Just control to
be exercised or er the canal strip.
Mr.. Cromwell called again at the State
Department today to confer further with
Secretary Hay respt citing the proposed
treaty 1t now appears that, cont ary to
the first expectation, this treaty cannot
be signed before next Saturday on ac-
count Of the points of difference between
the treaty and the canal act Minister
Concha deems IT especially expedicnt that
the Cole mbiar government shall be made
acquainted with the smallest details OF
the negotiations. This necessitates re-
course to the mails, and the finishing
touches probably cannot be given to the
treaty this summer.