Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-06
MAY DELAY THE CANAL.
LEGAL Questions will Be Raised II
Panama Government Is Recog-

nixed.
+ Washington, Nov. 6.-Of course all
the difficulty on the isthums of Panama
is caused by the canal project. 1t has
been the burning question there for a
generation, and now. in the middle Of
an apparently successful revolution the
status of the Panama canal is even
more curious than ever before. People
here are in a Quandary as to what the
effect on the canal and it's ownershi p
by the United States will be.
While at first sight the revolution
seems to be In the interest of the
United States, there are legal questions
involved, to say nothing OF diplomatic
ones, which may have the effect Of
postponing the settlement of the whole
question for years to come. II Panama
becomes an independent nation new
legislation by congress will become
necessary before any treaty can be ne
gc,tiated with the infant republic, and
1T Is also within the range of possibi!-
3ity that new agreement with the
Panama company will have to be made.
In any event it Is likely that the
whole canal question will have to be
5tuESSIt-Q ONSt IA toh6 rs,S SAAS N'AAsSs
with the result that the old fight be-
tween Panama and Nicaragua will be
renewed. This Will be good news to the
transcontinental railroad interests,
which are opposed to the construction
OF any canal.
There have been frequent rumors
afioat here that these same railroad in
terests were responsible for the opposi-
ton in Colombia to the ratification or
the canal treaty with the United
States. However this may be, 1t is at
least suspicious that there was sud-
den change OF front on the part OF the
Colombian government, which began to
make exorbitant demands on the
United States.
Apparently the creation of new re-
public on the isthmus of Panama by
means of successful revolution was
the, only means OF circumventing the
greedy officials at Bogota. who were
always willing to sell themselves out
to the highest bidder. 1t has been free
ly alleged that TIA. United States off,
cials on the isthmus. while they did not
actually participate in the revolution,
allowed it to be understood that the
United States would be friendly to &.
revolutionary move and would pre-
serve the neutrality of the Panama
railroad so completely as to prevent
the Colombian government from for
warding troops and munitions of war
along that line. Such a charge Is Sc
rious thing from an international
standpoint, and President Roosevelt's
administration will not be anxious to
pose as the receiver of stolen property
or as having aided and abetted a revo-
luton to secure to itself personal ad-
vantages.
There is an understanding here that
the real influence behind the revolu-
tionists at Panama has been the canal
company itself. The stockholders In
the French corporation can not get a
cent Of their forty millions until the
treaty is signed by Colombia as well as
by the United States. The canal COM
pany is sure of it's own rights, what
ever may be the style of the republic ut
the isthmus. BY a established
principle of International law new
nation must respect the vested rights
OF property created by concessions or
contracts with foreigners made by the
old nation The Panama Canal Com
pany is secure In its original conces-
sion, which was recently extended until
1870 whether the revolution is success
full or not. The Frenchmen are inter-
ested, however, in getting their money
as soon as possible.