Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-03
Most Troublesome Questions
Have Been Settled.
TO VERIFY FIGURES
ANNUAL PAYMENT TO COLOMBIA
YET TO BE DETERMINED.
The Prospective Ownership Of the
Panama Railroad Must
Be Estimated.

The Panama canal project received an
other impetus this morning after long
period of stagnation, and the friends Of
that canal now assert that the negotiations
can be concluded within the present month.
Mr. Herran, the Colombian charge here.
and Mr.. Cromwell counsel for the Panama
Canal Company, called at the State De-
partment today by arrangement, sepa-
rately, though in pursuit of a common
purpose. Naturally in the incomplete state
of the negotiations the State Department
officials are unwilling to discuss details
for publication. Mr.. Cromwell, however
was willing to be quoted to the effect that
now, in the judgment of the canal company
officials, the negotiations are progressing
very satisfactorily and promise to result in
a speedy settlement and the signature of a
treaty.
Annual Collections by Colombia.
All questions of principle have been mu-
tually agreed upon. The issue of sover
eighty over the canal strip, of legal juris-
diction and of length Of franchise have
been adjusted to the satisfaction Of both
arties. the United States and Columbia All
that remains to be settled Is the amount of
the annual collections made by Colombia
under existing conditions on account of
iSthmlan traffic, of which she would be
deprived under treaty, and for which she
Is to be reimbursed by the United States.
According to the Colombian statement these
collections amount annually to $3.50, 900,
made up of an annual payment Of $25O,OOO
from the Panama Railroad Company, a
perfectly sound asset In view of the busi-
ness of the railroad, and 100000 annually
On account of light house dues, port
charges, wharfage, mooring fees and sew
eral other smaller items.
In addition Colombia would become the
owner OF the Panama railroad at the ex-
piration of sixty years from this date, the
property being valued at somewhere be-
tween S10,OO0,O0O and $13,O0O,OOO.
Colombia would not lose all of the port
charges referred to If she signed a treaty
with the United States, for although the
latter would make the two terminal ports
free as to tariff charges on through freight
Colombia would still collect port dues on
local shipping not using the canal.
To Verify Figures.
Now, the United States government does
not intend that Colombia shall actually be
an annual loser on account of the construc-
tion Of the canal, and 1t will be willing to
turn over to the government Of Colombia a
sum corresponding to the amounts which
are now received from these port charges
about to be lost to Colombia.
AS the United States government might
itself fix the canal tolls at sum sufficient
to include port charges of a corresponding
amount, the canal representatives hold that
1t would not thereby impose any burden
upon the United States treasury. There
fore what is now in progress is an inquiry
with the purpose Of verifying the figures as
to the canal port dues presented by Colom-
bfa, and when that work is completed and
the basis of the annual fnstalment to be
paid by the United States is ascertained
only few formalities will remain to be
disposed of before the treaty is completed
and ready for the action of the United
States Congress.