The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-19
IN FEE SIMPLE.
Canal Treaty With Panama Has
Been Signed.
United States Will Become
Owner of the Land.
EVERYTHING WE WANT
Has Been Granted by the New
Government.
All 1t Asks in Return Is the
Ten Millions.
WE WANT

Washington, Nov.1s-The Hay-Bunau-
Vanilla Isthmian canal treaty was sign
| ed last evening at the residence of Sec
rotary Hay by the secretary and Phil
lipe Bunau-Varilla, the minister from
Panama.
Although the treaty has not been
made public the Associated Press is en-
abled to give the substance of the doc
ument. It consists of between % and %
articles, but the main points of the
convention are contained 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
throughout the republic of Panama this
government shall find deSira bic in con-
nection with the building or operation
and maintenance of the canal In addi-
ton the treaty gives to the United
States abundant sovereignty over the
canal strip which comprises between
and 10 miles on each side of the canal.
Within this zone the power of the Uni
ted States is as absolute as if the zone
were part and parcel of this country. In
general it may be said that while the
new treaty contains many of the pro-
visions of the failed Hay-Herran treaty
it is not based on that convention but
follows not only the spirit, but the let
ter, of the Spooner act. Thus, instead
OL the l0dSG LOT d lA0U p0ElOQ the Cd1ldi
strip, this new treaty provides for
perpetual grant of the right of way to
the United States and instead of a COM
plicated provision for courts of fixed
composition-half American and half
COlombian-to administer justice over
the canal strip the new treaty permits
this government to exercise the most
complete jurisdiction throughout.
Permission also is given the United
States to fortify the line and the terTnf-
nails Vn1i0n with
| That portion of the treaty dealing with
the fortification of the terminals is rath-
er general but sufficiently explicit not
to be misunderstood
The cities of Panama and Colon re-
tain their municipal autonomy under the
republic of Panama SO long as they
maintain public ordsT and sanitary con-
! dition to the satisfaction of the United
States; failure to do this gives the United
States according to the treaty, the right
to force strict compliance with the
wishes of this government in this direc-
ton 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. The money consideration
| is the same in the new treaty as in the
| Hay-Herran convention with the excep-
ton that the ten million dollars go to
| Panama instead of to Colombia.
The treaty further provides that the
canal is to be neutral and open to all
nations on even terms.
Two-thirdS of the treaty concerns de-
| tails of administration which while not
necessary to the efficacy of the con-
vention will, it is believed, commend the
new treaty to many members of the
! senate who have picked flaws in the de-
funct Hay-Herran convention. Secre-
tary Hay had a conference with the
! Panama minister late last night and the
! general terms of the treaty were agreed
on. Secretary Hay was at first some
what undecided as to whether the treaty
should be an amended form of the Hay
Herran convention or an entirely new
paper. This point was decided at a
| luncheon at the secretary's house at
which were present Secretary Root, At
torney General Knox and leading SEN
atOrs.
| Their unanimous opinion was that an
entirely new treaty would be the more
favorably received by the senate. After
luncheon a slight change in the original
draft of the treaty was made.
Secretary Hay went to the state de-
partment at 4 O'Clock and after the con-
/ vent1on had been engrossed and the ar
rangements completed for signing it, he
returned to his residence with the
| treaty in duplicate, there to await the
arrival of the Panama minister.
The contention of the Washington gov
eminent that the capital of the republic
be not located in either Panama or
Colon was not pressed by Secretary
! Hay when he found that the Panama
government was earnestly opposed to it
and the treaty mixes no such provision.
! This, however, is not regarded by. the
secretary as a vital point in view of the
extensive rights which the United States
has throughout the canal strip and its
especial wide jurisdiction in the ter
nlinal cities. This is the only point in
the negotiations which caused the ex-
! DreSson of difference of opinion.
No time will be lost by Panama in
ratifying the new treaty.
Whether the ratification will be made
by the government at Panama or
| here last night will be ca.bled power to
ratify it has not yet been determined.
The exchange of notifications will take
place in Washington.
The Panama minister went to the sta
ton last night that he might personally
welcome the distinguished officials who
compose the commission The minister
will introduce them to the officials of
the Washington government and is pre-
pairing to show them. elaborate court
estes.
The president has not determined
when the convention shall be submit
ted to the senate for ratification. His
present purpose is to withhold it until
there is reasonabl assurance that its
consideration will not obstruet any of
the legislation for which the special
session of congress has been called
Secretary Hay and NJ. PHILIPPE Bunau-
} Vanilla, the minister of Panama, at s
o'clock last evening signed the Hay
Bunau-Varflla treaty providing for the
construction of the Panama canal by
the United States. The ceremony took
place in Secretary Hays study. The
Panama minister arrived at Mr.. Hays
} house promptly at 6 o'clock, having
made an appointment with the secre-
tary for a conference at that hour He
| was surprised to find that the secretary
had before him the treaty engrossed in
duplicate.
The secretary informed NJ. Bunau-
varilla that he was ready to sign the
treaty The minister read the docu-
ment carefully and then he and Secre-
tary Hay attached their signatures to
it.
changed and President Roosevelt was
advised of the signing and NJ. Bunau-
yarilla sent a confidential cablegram