Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-24
WHAT PANAMA WANTS
SETTLEMENT DESIRED OF THREE
MATTERS.
Enthusiasm on the Isthmus Over the
Prospective Visit Of Secretary Taft
Minister Obaldia's Views.

According to Senior Obaldia, the Panama
minister, modification of the Hay-Bunau-
Vanilla canal treaty in several important
respects and the negotiation between the
Washington and Panama governments OF
a supplementary commercial treaty grant
ing to Panama important concessions Is
what the Panamans hope to obtain as a
result Of Secretary Taft's mission to the
isthmus
widespread enthusiasm has been aroused
on the isthmus," said the minister, by the
publication of President Roosevelt's letter
to Secretary Taft. President Amador has
cabled me that he has proclaimed this let
ter throughout the sthmus. and that the
tide of grateful feeling has already turned
in favor of the United States. Prepara-
tons have been begun for grand reception
to the Taft mission. The palace occupied
by the president of the former canal COM
pany will be placed at the disposal of Sec
rotary Taft and his suite. Should this
palace not be adequate, the immense build
ing known as the canal house. and COM
prising some few hundred rooms also will
be available for the entertainment of the
mission. Dinners balls and receptions will
follow one another in quick succession in
honor of the mission.
In the action Of the President in accred-
itlng to the Panaman government such
distinguished envoy as Secretary Taft,
whom the isthmians regard as eminently
u
righting number of wrongs under which
1t is now suffering.
Popular as are the American minister to
Panama and the governor of the canal zone
there are a number of questions of vital i'm
portance to the iSthmus which have not yet
been settled to the satisfaction of the
Panaman government. In the forefront of
these are three problems which Secretary
Taft will be asked to solve-the postal reg
ulations, the question of customs duties and
the far-reaching question of jurisdiction in
the terminal cities of Panama and Colon.
The Panaman government declines to ac-
cept the Interpretation placed upon the
treaty by Mr. Bunau-Varilla, which prac-
tically takes away all the land in those
cities not now actually covered by resi-
dences. Panama and Colon will prosper
rapidly after the canal work has started:
they will need considerable territory over
which to expand We confident that
Secretary Taft will be quick to see the
justice of our contentious.
LAS for the postal question, a postage
stamp in Panama costs five cents. When
Governor General Davis sold stamps at two
cents each, it is not surprising that the
people bought stamps of him rather than of
the Panaman authorities.
Then there is the troublesome question
of customs regulations between the govern
ment of Panama and the canal zone. We
difficulties with Secretary Taft with salts
faction to ourselves and to the United
States. 1t is possible that this could be
done in the form of an agreement but l
am of the opinion that new commercial
treaty will be the most satisfactory solu-
several important notifications of the pres
ent canal treaty, and hope that this addi-
tional. convention can be concluded after
brief negotiations"