The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-11-19
NEW CANAL TREATY SIGNED
PORTABILITY TAKES PLACE AT SECRETARY HAY,S RESIDENCE.
Important Difference Between the old and New conventfons--Latter Pro- Vides for . Perpetual Lease of the Right of Way Instead Of Lease for a Fixed Period-Panama to Receive s1o, ,OOo, ,O00 Consideration.

Washington, Nov. 1S.-The Hay Bunau-Varilla Isthnnian canal treaty was signed this evening at the resi- dence of Secretary Hay by the secre- tary and Philippe Bunau-varilla, min ister from Panama.
 ;. It is stated that the Panama commis- sion, which arrived here tonight, has been empowered to ratify the treaty, and this action may occur within the next forty-eight hours, or sooner.
 Although the treaty has not been made public the Associated Press is enabled to give the substance of the doyument.
 It consists of between twenty-two and twenty-five articles, but the main points of the convention are contained in the first six articles.
 The keynote of the treaty is the pro- vision 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 ernment shall find desirable in connec- ton with the building of the operation and maintenance of the canal. In addi- tion the treaty gives to the United States absolute sovereignty over the canal strip which. 1t is understood, comprises between eight and ten miles on each side of the canal. Within this zone the power of the United 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 provisions of the failed Hay-Herran treaty, it is not based on that conven- ton but follows not only the spirit but the letter of the Spooner act. Thus, instead of the lease for the perpetual grant of the right of way to the United States and instead of complicated provision for courts of fixed composition half American and half Colombian-to adninisted justice over the canal strip the new canal treaty permits this gov ernment to exercise the most complete jurisdiction thereupon.
 Permission also is given the United States to fortify the line and the ter nninals and it may police 1t with troops. That portion of the treaty dealing with the fortifications of the terminals is rather 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 order and sanitary con- ditions 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 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.
 The monetary consideration Is the same in the new treaty as in the Hay Herran convention with the exception that the S10,000000 go to Panama in- stead 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-
 (ContinlIad m Seventh Paee1