The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13

purely commercial purpose. in which all the navigating nations of the world would have a common interest," Presidents Message. Vol 4, pp. 511-2.
 I The Latest Legislation and Treaty for the Panama Canal.
 Coming to the legisla tion of the Fifty seventh Congress, the Hepburn bill as l originally introduced, contemplated the construction of the canal over the Nica- ragua route. When the bill was reported from the Committee by MT. Hepburn and consent was asked by him to make 1t a continuing special order. that gentleman. in reply to a question by MT. Cannon, with respect to pending negotiations for the acquisition of the right of way, replied that he thought the leg islation proposed must precede the secur- ing of the right of way. The Hay-Paunce- fote treaty. as amended, was concluded h November, 1901, and ratified In December, 1901. It abrogated the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
 In the meantime, the Isthmian Canal Commission having made its report m favor of the Panama route, our Govern ment consummated arrangements for the acquisition of the property of the New Panama Canal Company and concluded d treaty with Colombia for the construction of the canal to be owned and controlled by the Government of the United States. The treaty was promptly ratified by the Unite States Senate.
 The Hepburn bill passed the House in January, 1902. It was amended in the Senate by the adoption of the "Spooner'' substitute and became a law June 2S, 1902. It authorized the President to &C., quire the property of the New Panama Canal Company at cost not exceeding $40, 100000. including the whole of its capi- tal stock. In the event the President should not be able to acquire satisfactory title to the property of the new Panama Canal Company and the control of the necessary territory of the Republic of Colombia, within a reasonable time, then the President, having first obtained for the United States perpetual control by Costa Rica and Nicaragua upon such terms as he might consider reasonable, is required to cause to be constructed a canal by the Nica- ragua route. The sum of S10. 900 is ap- propriated toward the project by either way selected The Secretary of War is re- Quired to enter into contracts for the con struction of the canal and the amount of the cost is not to exceed tie additional sum of S135, 900. 900 should the Panama route be adopted, or $1S0. coo, 900 should the Nicaragua route be adopted
 The Senate of Colombia, however, re- jected the pending treaty between that Government and ours, and the people of Panama, whose connection with the Colombian Government has never been altogether satisfactory to them, revolted and. it seems. that without the firing of shot, with the exception of a few shells that were thrown into the city from a Colombian steamer in the harbOr of Pan ooNnTnDltahAd fhair fndanan6- ence. Government consisting of some of the leading citizens of the State was at once organized and proclaimed to the world: a part of the Colombian forces joined the revolution, the rest returned to Colombia, and, so far as We are able to judge, the new republic begins its career with no organized opposition throughout the entire extent of the isthmus.
 Policy as to Recognition of Defaeto
 Governments.
 The President in this conjuncture gave orders that traffic from one side of the isthmus to the other should be kept un- impeded by either party, and charged our officers on the isthmus to use their ut- most influence to prevent any attack by one of the contending factions upon the other which would be calculated to cause disturbance of traffic. When II was re- ported to the President that a Sovern- ment capable of maintaining order had been established and was working with out opposition he directed our represen- tat!ves at Panama. as has always been done under such circumstances. as soon as he was certain that e government ca- pabla of maintaining the public pe1ca had been established by the consent of the people. that he was to enter into offi- cial relations with it. Like conjunctures have happened in our history. President Pierce in 1856 (AGay 10 in a special mes 1 sage to Congress transmitting certain re-