The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-20

the treaty deal for the most part with
questions of administration. For ex-
ample article 6 declares free for all
time the ports at either entrance of the
canal, including Panama and Colon, |
and provides that no duties of any kind
shall be imposed by the republic OF
Panama on any vessel using the canal
or belonging to or employed by the
United States. 1t provides also that the
ports of Panama and Colon and others
leading to the canal shall be free to the
commerce of the world and that no du
ties shall be imposed except on mer-
chandiSe destined to be introduced for
consumption into the republic of Pana-
and Panama and do not cross the canal
The Panama government, however, is
allowed under this article to establish
at these ports such custom houses and
guards as may be deemed necessary to
collect duties on importations destined
for other parts of the republic. To the
United States is given the right to make
use of ports at the two extremlties of
the canal as places of anchorage in
order to make repairs for, loading, un-
loading, depositing or transhipping
cargoes which are in transit or des-
tined for service of the canal and
other works. Article further
provides that all damages caused
to private land owners by in
undation or by the deviation of water
courses or in other ways arising out Of
the construction or operation of the
canal shall be appraised and determin-
ed by a Joint commission appointed by
the governments of the United States
and the republic of Panama and the
United States in turn agrees to bear the
sole cost of the indemnities granted by
said commission.
In another article the republic of
Panama authorizes the new Panama
canal company to sell and transfer its
rights and concessions to the United
I fNk =
and all or part of the shares of that
company. 1t is stipulated however.
that the property outside the canal zone
owned by the company shall revert to
the republic of Panama
Other important provisions of the
convention are:
The republic of Panama agrees to Sc
cure for the United States the lands and
rights that are acquired in the towns OF
Panama and Colon to effect the i'm
provements provided fer in the treaty
and authorizes the United States to i'm
pose and collect equitable water rates
during fifty years. AT the end or that
time the use of the water shall be free
for the inhabitants of Panama and
Colon except SO far as may be necessary
for the operation and maintenance of
| the water system ard auxiliaries, that
the republic of Panama shall pay no
more for official dispatches over the
telephone and telegraph lines to be con-
structed than those required from offl-
Gals of the United States; that the re-
public of Panama shall permit immigra-
ton and free access to the lands and
workshops of the canal and its auxil-
| iaries to all employees of whatever ma
tionality, provided they are under con-
tract for work in any way connected
! with the canal, such persons, with their
families, shall be exempt from military
| service of the republic of Panama; that
the United States may import into the
/ canal zone free of duty any material
required in the construction, main
tenance and operation of the canal and
| auxiliary works and all provisions,
medicines clothing and supplies for use
of all persons in the employ of the
United States and for their families;
that the canal when completed shall be
neutral in perpetuity and shall be
opened on the terms provided for by
section 1 of article 3. of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty of November Is, 1901
that the republic of Panama shall have
the right to transport over the canal
its vessels, troops and munitions of war
at all times free of charge; that the re-
public of Panama agrees to cancel any