Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-09-29
CANAL TREATY DEAD.
COLUMBIAN CONGRESS FAILS
TO ACT IN TIME LIMIT.
Time for Ratification of the Hay Her.
ran Convention Has Years
Delay in Sight-W Now
Awaits q New Proposal.

At midnight Tuesday the Hay Herraa
Panama canal treaty became thing OF
the past. As Tuesday WAS the last day
Tor the exchange of notifications of the
! treaty, under the terms of the conven-
lion' mat instrument may be considered
as DEAD Fog several weeks, some news
papers assert, che treaty has been used
as fascinating device for forcing the
rreuch Fahama Canal Company to give
up port of the S4Go00.00o it was
10 receive l4o.n the United States for its
plant, concessions and completed chan
mel. The report that the Colombians Sc
rlously contemplated holding up'' the
United States for larger bonus has M "
err been fully authenticated, althonr.,
there was doubtless disposition to dc
niand better terms from this government
antil they were advised by the State De-
partment, through Minister Beaupre.
that no better offer would be made for
the canal concession.
The expiration Of the time limit for the
ratification of the treaty, and the discus
sion of the probable course of the Presi-
, dent and the future status of the Panama
route, naturally call public attention TO
the act of Congress under which the
treaty was negotiated. This act was
passed at the first session of the Fifty
seventh Congress, and was approved
June Is, 1902. 1t Authorizes the pay
ment of $40,000,000 to the Panama
Canal Company for its plant, concessions
and diminished work, and the requirement
BY the President from the republic OF
Colombia upon such terms as he may
hi Of ...l II
of canal strip. 1t provides for the APP
pointment of canal commission to have
charge of construction, for preliminary
appropriation and for the bond issue to
defray expenses
Section 4, which is now the bone of
contention between those who favor the
Panama route and those who wish the
President to turn to the Nicaragua route.
provides that should the President be
unable to obtain for the United States
satisfactory title to the property Of the
Panama Canal Company and the con
troll of the necessary territory of the
reprh.ic of Colombia, and the rights
mentioned in sections l and 2 Of the act,
within reasonable time and upon rea-
SCRABBLE terms, then the President shall,''
after having negotiated a satisfactory
treatv with Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
direct the canal commission to proceed
with the excavation of a canal by the
Nicaragua route.
1t is contended by some that the lam
guage of this section makes il obligatory
upon the President to open negotiations
with Nicaragua and Costa Rica at once.
and that the Panama route must be
abandoned. 1t is difficult to see how
such construction can be put upon the
pldil language of this section of the
canal act 1t says that should the Presi-
dent be unable to secure the control of
a canal strip within a reasonable time
and upon reasonable terms" he shall open
up negoti atoms for a canal treaty with
Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
What is means by "a reasonable time"
whether six months OF two years, is left
to the judgment of the President. The
Colombian government has Signihed
through DIR. Herran a desire to renew
negotiations.