The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-11-27
When 1t Comes to the Matter of
a Treaty for the 18TH
milan Canal.
HAY AND BUNAU-VARILLA SIGN
We Get Everything We Wanted IN
the Document Negotiated.
Which Is To Be Ratified by Panama
Right Away--Colombia to Lose
Two More States by
Secession.


Bunau-Varilla isthmian canal treaty
was signed last evening at the resi-
dence of Secretary Hay by the secre
tary and Philippe Buna u-Varilla, the
minister from Panama
Although the treaty has not been
made public the Associated Press is
enabled to give the substance of the
document. It consists of between TWEEN
ty-two and twenty-five articles, but the
main points of the convention are con-
tanned in the first six articles. The
keynote of the treaty is the provision
in one of the very first articles by
which Panama cedes to the United
States whatever land or lands through
out the republic Of Panama this gov
eminent shall find desirable in connec-
ton with the building or the opera
ton and maintenance Of the canal. In
addition the treaty gives to the United
States absolute sovereignty over the
canal strip, which it is understood COM
prises between eight and ten miles on
cdCH Sue OIL tu9 canal.
Gives Us Absolute Sovereignty
Within this zone the power of the
United States is as absolute as if the
zone were part and parcel of this coun-
try. In general it may be said that
While the new treaty contains many Of
the provisions of the failed Hay-Her-
ran treaty it is not based on that con-
vention, but follows not only the spir-
it but the letter of the Spooner act
Grant Is in Perpetuity.
Thus. instead of the lease for
fixed period Of the canal strip,
this new treaty provides for
perpetual grant of the right-of-
way to the United States; and instead
Of a complicated provision for court
of mixed composition - half United
Statesan and half Colombian - to
administer justice over the canal strip
the new treaty permits the United
States government to exercise the most
complete jurisdiction thereupon. The
United States may fOrtify the line and
the terminals, and it may police it with
troops. Then the two terminal cities
of Panama and Colon pass completely
under United States Jurisdiction -
which incidentally involves the estab-
nshment of new capital for the re-
public of Panama outside of the canal
strip.
Status of Panama and Colon.
The cities of Panama and Colon re-
tain their municipal autonomy under
the republic of Panama so long as
they maintain public order and sani-
tary conditions to the satisfaction Of
the United States. Failure to do this
gives the United States the right to
force strict compliance with the wishes
of this government in this direction,
and the United States can even use
force to compel obedience to it's rules
as to public order and public health in
these cities.
All Money Goes to Panama.
The money considerati ton is under
stood to be the same, only Panama in
stead of Colombia is to receive the S1O.-
100000. The canal is to be neutral
and open to all nations on even terms.
What We Wanted at First.
At first the Washington government
desired provision that the capital Of
the new republic be not located in eth
er Panama or Colon, but this was not
pressed by Secretary Hay when he
found that the Panama government
was earnestly opposed to it, and the
treaty makes no such provision This.
however, is not regarded by the secre-
tary as a vital point in view of the ex-
tensive rights which the United States
has throughout the canal strip and
its especially wide Jurisdiction in the
terminal cities
Panama to Lose No Time.
No time will be lost by Panama
in ratifying the new treaty. Whether
the ratification will be made by the
government at Panama or whether the
commission which has arrived here
will be cabled power to ratify it has
not yet been determined The ex-
change of notifications wiz occur in
Washington.
Two MORE STATES TO SECEDE
Cauca and AntioQuia Said To Be Going to