The National tribune., 1903-12-10
The PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE,
Largely Devoted to the Isthmian
Republic-AlIusiOn to Pensions.

Ol lHe StSSiou Ot Tile OSlu SpuSItSS
seems brIefer than his former communica-
tions, but it still contains nearly $1,000
. words. 1t begins with congratulations to
the country upon the satisfactory achieve
ments in both foreign and domestic affairs.
1t describes the establishment of the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor, with
the Bureau of Corporations, deyoting
much space TO the latter, in which great
| hopes are centered of solving problems
connected with capital and labor.
The President says that we cannot have
too much immigration of the right kind.
nor too little of the wrong kind, and that
| this is a problem for grave study.
The work of the High Joint Commits
sion on the Alaska Boundary is related
and satisfaction expressed with the re-
suit.
Congress is recommended to favor in
all proper ways the Louisiana Purchase
| Exposition.
| The work of reclamation of the arid
lands of the West is progressing steadily
and satisfactorily under the present law.
| The cotton-boll weevii receives a para
graph with the recommendation to Con-
gress for consideration.
The pensions are disposed of in the fol-
| lowing paragraph:
NO other class of our citizens deserves
so well of the Nation as those to whom
the Nation owes its very being, the veter-
ans of the civil war. Special attention is
asked to the excellent work of the Pen
sion Bureau in expediting and disposing
of pension claims. During the fiscal year
ending July 1, 1903, the Bureau settled
251 ,9S2 claims, an average of S2o claims
for each working day of the year. The
number of settlements since July 1, 1903,
has been in excess of last year's average,
approaching 1000 claims for each work
| ing day, and it is believed that the work
of the Bureau will be current at the close
of the present fiscal year."
The operations of the Civil Service Com
mission are commended, and the result of
the new legislation for the Army has been
excellent.
A long history is given of the relations
of the Government to the United States
of Colombia, and list given of the inces-
SAINT troubles on the Isthmus since 1880,
which has kept that portion of Colombia
in q continual state OF unrest, with large
loss of life and property. There have been
53 revolutions, rebellions, insurrectlons,
| ETC., in 81 years. The conclusions arrived
at are that the United States has for over
half century patiently and in good faith
| carried out its obligations, but Colombia
has treated us with harsh preemptOriness,
and refused to act in accordance with rea-
son and justice, and therefore the "GOv-
/ ernment of the United States would have
been guilty of folly and weakness, amount
| ing in their sum to crime against the
Nation, had it acted otherwise than it
did when the revolution of Nov. last
| took place in Panama"
| The message ends as follows:
| '"The new Republic of Panama imme-
ldiately offered to negotiate a treaty with
US. This treaty l herewith submit. By
it our interests are better safeguarded
than in the treaty with Colombia which
was ratified by the Senate al its last ses-
sion. 1t is better in its terms than the
| treaties offered to us by the Republics Of
Nicaragua 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-
can Congress to do its part and forthwith
this Republic will enter upon the execu-
ton of a project colossal in its size and
OF well-nigh incalculable possibilities for
the good of this country and the nations
of mankind.
"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 strip 10 miles wide and
extending three nautical miles into the sea
at either terminal, with all lands lying out
side of the zone necessary for the con-
struction of the canal or for its auxiliary
of Panama. The cities of Panama and
Colon are not embraced in the canal zone,
but the United States assumes their sani-
tatiOn and, in case of need, the mainte-
nance of order therein; the United States
enjoys within the granted limits all the
rights. power and authority which it would
possess were it the sovereign of the ter
ritory to the exclusion of the exercise of
sovereign rights by the Republic. All
railway and canal property rights belong
ing to Panama and needed for the canal
pass to the United States, including any
property of the respective companies in
the cities of Panama and Colon; the
works, property, and personnel of the
canal and railways are exempted from tax
alton as well in the cities of Panama
and Colon as in the canal zone and its
dependencies. 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 details.
particularly as to the acquisition of the
interests of the New Panama Canal Con,-
pany 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 eompensa-
tlon to be given for these enlarged grants
remains the same, being $10.00O000 pay
able on exchange of ratifcations and,
beginning nine years from that date, an
annual payment of $3.50, 900 during the
life of the convention"
l.
pATTUC OE COA NI,g FAY