Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-08
MESSAGE.
stand still means to go back
The Isthmian Canal.

Inc REMAINDER Oh Tie WtsSdSt Is ue-
voted to the discussion Of the 18TH
milan canal and IN emphasizing that
the canal must be built owe the
lsthIus Of Panama, the message
says The question now Is o ay
which route the Isthmian canal shall
be built, for that question mas been
definitely and ~irrevocably decided.
The question Is simply whether or not
we snail have an 1sthmian canal"
The relations of the United States
government to the matter OF transit
across the Isthmus Of Panama. the
Reputation OF the canal treaty by
Colombia, the revolution in Panama
ana the course Of the United States
in the matter, are fully explained and
are followed by a long list Of dis
turbances and revolutions that have
taken place on the Isthmus since 1886,
a review of the latest proposition of
the Colombian government, an IN
stance upon the importance of the
United States of the control Of the
means of undisturbei transit across
the Isthmus, a discussion Of the sub
mission of a treaty with the new Re
public Of Panama, terminating with a
review of the provisions Of the treaty
as follows:
by the provisions of the treaty the
United States guarantees and will
maintain the independence of the Re.
public Of Panama. There Is granted
to the United States in pe%rpetuity the
use, occupation and control of a strip
ten miles wide and extending three
naut raj miles into the sea at either
terminal, with all lands lying outside
Of the zon necessary for the con.
struction of the canal or for Its auxil.
larry works, and with the islands in the
Bay OF Panama. The cities of Pana-
ma and Colon are not embraced In the
canal zone, but the United States as
sumes their sanitation, and, in case OF
need, the maintenance Of order there
in; the United States enjoys within
the granted limits all the rights,
power and authority, which 1t would
possess were 1t the sovereign OF the
territory to the exclusion of the exer-
else Of sovereign rights by the Re
public. All railway and canal proper
lty rights belonging to Panama and
needed for the canal pass to the Uni
ted States, including the property 81
the respective companies In the cities
Of Panama and Colon; the works
property and personnel Of the canal
and railways are exempted from tax
alton as well in the cities OF Panama
and Colon as in the canal zone and
its dependencies. Free immigration
Of the personnel and importation Of
supplies for the construction AM
operation Of the canal are granted
Provision is made for the use of mill
tary force and the building Of fortifi
cations by the United States for thu
protection of the transit. In other de
tails, particularly as to the acquisi
tion Of the interests OF the New Pana
ma railway BY the United States ant
the condemnation Of private property
for the uses Of the canal, the stipula
tions of the Hay-Herran treaty arr
closely followed, while the compensa
ton to be given for these enlarged
grants remains the same, being ter
millions of dollars payable on ex
change of notifications; and, begin
ming nine years from that date. an an
'nual payment Of $25O,OO0 during tn,
life Of the convention"