Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-29
is A GOOD CONTRACT
Colombian Treaty Now Pending is
Satisfactory to Leaders.
GIVES UNITED STATES CONTROL
South American Still Retains Nominal
Sovereignty of its Terrtory-Ex-
pense of Running White House
Greatly Increased Since Improved.
Thy H, J. MAHIN.l

[BY H. J. MAHIN.l
Washington, d. c., Jan. 29.--Politi-
clans and statesmen here are express
ing keen satisfaction over the Panama
canal treaty. tits regarded as an excel
lent contract. While manifestly fair
and just to the little republic of Colon
bia, it nevertheless makes the great
isthmian canal absolutely a United
States institution. The treaty as it
now stands is so advantageous that
there will probably be little in the way
of a speedy ratification by the senate.
There are rumors of some objections
but 1t is generally felt that these will
| be overruled. The greatest trouble
will undoubtedly be the deadlock in
the senate. The time limit on the rat
ification of the treaty now is next Sat
urday, January 81. If it cannot be
pushed through by that time an extern
sion of time will have to be asked of
Colombia. There is no mistaking the
sentiment of the country as felt here
| in Washington. 1t is felt that the
matter must surely be closed before
March 4. Too much time has already
been wasted and deep resentment has
| been aroused against those selfish, sin
lister interests, the transcontinental
railroads and the foreign steamship
lines, which have sought to block the
creation of this new channel of Ameri-
can commerce
In the treaty as it now stands the
government binds itself to make a cash
| n a nf So, 10 Va
lombia for the Panama canal conces-
sion and after nine years to pay a rem
tai of $250,000 a year for the belt of
territory six miles wide through which
the canal runs from Atlantic to Paci-
fic. Nominally Colombia does not sur
render its sovereignty over this canal
strip. Actually the sovereignty there
will be held and exercised by the Uni
ted States. Our government there will
WELD police and sanitary jurisdiction,
hold the ports of Colon and Panama
at either end of the canal collect the
custom duties and tonnage dues, and,
most important of all, possess the
right to- protect-that is to fortify-
these terminals. So the annual rental
OF the canal will cost us nothing ac-
tually. 1t will be more than offset
by the port privileges and harbor reve-
nues. This arrangement is to hold
for 100 years. AS a matter of fact it
will hold in perpetually. To all in
tents and purposes the United States
now becomes the absolute possessor
of this belt of land across the 18TH
mus and no enemy of ours can ever
enter the ports of Colon of Panama
or pass from the northern to the
/ orr, A ~, cnptiponf
| 1t is going to cost about $110264 to
run the White House during the COM
/ ing year. This is quite an increase
over last year, due largely to the re-
cent improvements. 1t is now more
expensive building to run than ever
/ before. The following rough summa-
ry of the actual needs given by Col
onel Bingham gives ar idea of where
the money goes. The statement was
transmitted to the house through Sec
rotary Shaw:
"One assistant electrician at $50
per month: one plumber at $1,000 a
year: one head fireman at sos a
month; two assistant tiremen at $55
per month; two extra house servants
at $50 per month each; two extra la
borers in laundry at $25 month each:
1 hauling and handling flowers and
plants $4,000; for extra labor, sundries
of all kinds for the large functions in
the winter and for increased enter
tainments in the White House
throughout the year $4,000; for the
purchase Of extra flowers beyond that
which can be furnished by the propa-
eating gardens, $780, This is all
extra and added to the regular eypen.
diture Of $4,000 during the past year,
makes a total of $4,000 and the ap-
preparation should be 100000 to meet
all exigencies. 1t will cost $4,000 to
4 keep the White House grounds in or
der. The number of lights in the
house has been increased two and
/ one.half times and now numbers over
/ 2 200, the new electric motor takes
two and a half times the power before
| required and there is an electric dish
washer in the pantry, which consumes
considerable current. Then there is
in addition the new Office building to
be lighted. The appropriation for this
purpose was formerly $4,000 instead
of which $4,000 will now be required.
The item Of fuel, which was hereto
fore $4,000 will now require $4,000.
Secretary Shaw has in the treasury
department some of the most expert
men in peculiar way in the world.
Many times during the year some one
will come to the treasury department
with little pile of ashes which they
, declare are the remains of various
; quantities of paper money accidental
| ly burned. The seemingly impossible
task of determining whether the char
red paper was once money, and If so
of what denomination, is one CT the
many hundreds of such feats success
F fully performed by the experts in this
division Many times fakirs have
been caught who have burned any old
kind of paper and tried to get money
for it. How does the real money get
burned? Albert Relyes, chief of the
/. division, says it is remarkable how
many people put their money in the
stove for safe keeping, forget that il
is there and light fire.
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