The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-08

[ to ratify treaty the conclusion of which opened the only chance to secure its own stability and to guarantee permanent peace on, and the construction of a canal across. the isthmus.
 Under such circumstances the govern ment of the United States would have been guilty of folly and weakness, amounting in theft sum to a crime against the nation, had it acted otherwise than 1t did when the revolution of November } last took place in Panama. This great en- terprise of building the interoceanic canal cannot be help up to gratify the whims, or ont of respect to the governmental impotence, or to the even more sinister ;nd evil political peculiarities of people who. though they dwell afar off, yet, against the wish of the actual dwellers on the isthmus assert an unreal suprem- acy over the territory. The possession of a territory fraught with such peculiar capacities as the isthmus in question car res with it's obligations to mankind. The course of events has shown that this canal cannot be built by private enter prise, or by any other nation than our own; therefore it must be built by the United States.
 Treaty With New Republic of Panama.
 Every effort has been made by the gov ernment of the United States to persuade Colombia to follow a course which was essentially not only to our interests ana to the interests of the world but to the in- erests of Colombia itself These efforts have failed; and Colombia, by her per sistence in repulsing the advances that have been made has forced us, for the sake of our own honor. and of the inter- est and we'll being not merely of our own people. but of the people of the lsth- mus of Panama and the people of the civilized countries of the world, to take decisive steps to bring to an end a condi4 ton of affairs which had become intoler- able The new republic of Panama im- medatey offered to negotiate treaty with us. The treaty I herewith submit. By it our interests are better safeguarded than in the treaty with Colombia which was ratified by the senate at it's last ses- sion. It is better in it's terms than the treaties offered to us by the republics of Nicara qua and Costa Rica At last the right to begin this great undertaking is made available Panama has done her part All that remains is for the Amer ican congress to do it's part and forthwith this republic will enter upon the execu- ton of a project colossal in it's size and of well night incalculable possibilities for the good of this country and the nations of mankind.
 Provisions of Treaty.
 By the provisions of the treaty the United States guarantees and will main- tain the independence of the republic of Panama. There is granted to the United States in perpetuity the use, occupation, and control of a strip ten miles wide and extending three nautical miles into the sea at either terminal, with all lands ly- ing outside of the zone necessary for the construction of the canal, or for it's aux Hilary works. and with the islands in the Bay of Panama. The cities of Panama Colon n canal zone, but the United States assumes their sanitation and. in case of need. the main tenance of order therein: the United States enjoys within the granted limits all the rights, power and authority which 1t would possess were it the sovereign of the territory to the exclusion of the ex- ercise of sovereign rights by the repub- lie. All railway and canal property rights belonging to Panama and needed for the 'canal pass to the United States, includ- ing any property of the respective com panes in the cities of Panama and Colon: the works. property and personnel of the canal and railways are exempted from taxation as well in the cities of Panama and Colon as in the canal zone and its de- pendencies. Free immigration of the personnel and importation of supplies for the construction and operation of the canal are granted. Provision is made for the use of military force and the building of Notifications by the United States for the protection of the transit. In other de- tails. particularly as 10 the acquisition of the interests of the New Panama Canal company and the Panama railway by the United States and the condemnation of private property for the uses of the canal, the stipulations of the Hay-Herran treaty are closely followed, while the compensa- ton to be given for these enlarged grants remains the same, being ten millions of dollars payable on exchange of ratificas tions; and beginning nine years from date an annual payment of s250,0O0 during the life of the convention
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
 White House,
 December [ 1902