The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-19
CANAL WILL BE NEUTRAL
BUT UNCLa SANS POWER OVER
CEDED zeNE TO Be ABSOLUTE.
Prompt Ratification Of the Treaty
Expected Minister Beaupre
Mennced at Bogota.

and NJ. Philippe Bunau-varilla. the minis
ter from Panama, at $40 o'clock this even
ing signed the Hay-Bunau-varilla treaty
providing for she construction of the PAN
ANA canal. TIE ceremony occurred in Sec
retary Hays ttudy. The Panama minister
arrived at Mrt Hays house promptly at
o'clock. having made an appointment with
the secretary for conference at that hour
He was surprfsed to find that the secretary
had before him the treaty engrossed in
duplicate. Thf secretary informed NJ. Bu-
nau-varilla tfht he was ready to sign the
treaty. The minister read the document
carefully and ,then he and Secretary Hay
attached their signatures to it. President
Roosevelt was Immediately advised of the
signing of thes document and Minister Bu-
nau-varilla stnt confidential cablegram
to his government. stating that the treaty
had been sigbed.
SUBSTANCE OF THE TREATY.
Although the treaty has not been made
public, the Associated Press is enabled to
give the substance OF the document. II
consists of between twenty-five and twen-
ty-five articles but the main points of the
convention arc contained in the first six ar
ticles. The keynote of the treaty is the
provision in ore of the very first articles by
which Panams. cedes to the United States
whatever landt or lands throughout the Re-
public of Patama this government shall
find desirable Tn connection with the build-
ing. or the operation and maintenance of the
canal. In ADDITION the treaty gives to the
United States absolute sovereignty over the
canal strip. which. II is understood. COM
prises between, eight and ten miles on each
side of the denal Within this zone the
power of the UNITED States is as absolute
as If the zoneiwe part and parcel of this
country.
In general Il may be be said that while
the new treaty contains many of the pro-
visions of tho failed Hay-Herran treaty.
it is not based on that convention. but fol-
lows not only the spirit but the letter OF
the Spooner AIT. Thus. instead OF the lease
for fixed p!riod OF the canal strip this
new treaty prsovides for a perpetual grant
OF the right if way to the United States
and instead os complicated provision for
courts OF mixed compositIon-half Ameri-
can and haig Colombian-to administer
justice over tlge canal strip. the new treaty
permits this government to exercise the
most complete Jurisdiction thereupon.
MAJ ERECT FORTS.
Permission ESQ is given the United States
to fortify the. line and the terminals and
1t may police e with troops. That portion
of the treaty Healing with the fertilization
of the terminsfs is rather general, but suffi-
cieutly explicit not to be misunderstood.
The cities cg Panama and Colon retain
their municipal autonomy under the Re-
public of Pan;.ma so long as they maintain
public order sand sanitary conditions to
the satisfacticl1 OF the United States. Fall
ure to do this. gives the United States, ac-
cording to thc treaty, the right to force
strict compliaslce with the wishes of this
government ipi this direction and the United
States can USE force to compel obedience
to it's rules as to public order and public
health in thess cities.
The money consideration is the same I'm
the new treaty SIS in the Hay-Herran con-
vention, with the exception that the ten
million dollarG 60 to Panama instead of to
Colombia.
The treaty fsrther provides that the canal
is to be neutrfl and open to all nations on
even terms. |
Two-thrds az the treaty concerns details
of administrator which, while not neces-
sary 20 the efficacy OF the convention, will.
1T is believed. commend the new treaty to
many membets Of the Senate who have
picked flaws i'm the defunct Hay-Herran
convention.
Secretary Hsy had n conference with the
Panama minister late last night and the
general terms OF the treaty were agreed on.
Secretary Has was at frst somewhat un-
decided as to. whether the treaty should
be in amendcd form OF the Hay-Herran
convention Jan entirely new paper. This
point was de!ided at luncheon at the
secretary's house to-day. at which were
present Secretary Root. Attorney General
Knox and ,lumber of leading senator's.
The unanimo4s opinion was that an en-
tirely new trfaty would be the more IA
vorably received by the Senate.
After the lsnch a slight change I'm the
original draftt OF the treaty was made.
Secretary Ha< went TO the State Depart
ment at o'Alock and after the conven-
ton had beentengrossed and the necessary
arrangements completed for signing IL he
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