The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1904-05-12
Department
TO HAVE CONTROL
SECRETARY TAFT WILL ExER-
CIsE SUPREME AUTHORITY
IN CANAL MATTERS.
DAVIS MADE GOVERNOR
OF AMERICAN ZONE
Latter Will Appoint Judge for Terri-
tory-Presioent and Advisers Con.
fer Over Provisions for Regulation
Of Isthmlan Strip.

Washington, May 10. = President
Roosevelt h~u a long conference Mon
lay with Secretaries Hay and Taft and
Attorney General Knox, at which the
regulations to govern the Isthmian
Canal company were determined on
finally. The regulations will be pro-
mulgated formally later in the day, but
at the conclusion OF the conference Sec
rotary TAFT gave a brief resume of their
provisions.
While the creation and work of the
commission is committed by law to the
president, whose authority in that re-
gard is practically supreme, the presi-
dent, by the regulations, directs that the
commission shall exercise it's powers un-
der the direction and supervision of the
secretary OF war.
Davis Appointed Governor.
Gen. George w. Davis, the army mem
Der of the commission, is appointed gov
ernor Of the American zone on the 18TH
mus. Until the expiration Of the Fifty
eighth congress, the isthmian commits
sion will exercise legislative authority
over the American strip. Gov. Davis is
given authority to appoint one judge
who shall exercise judicial authority.
If, in the opinion of the commission,
an additional judge is necessary to the
proper conduct Of the judicial work on
the isthmus, the regulations confer on
the commission authority to appoint
him.
Secretary Taft explained that itmani-
testify would be impossible for the pIEesii-
dent, in the exercise of his duties, to
give that personal attention to the canal
work which is absolutely necessary, and,
as the wal department hitherto has ex-
cised supervisory control over public
civil and military works, and govern
mental control oyer the territory de-
pendent upon the country, it was deemed
advisable that the isthmian commission
should operate under the direction Of the
war department. What particular ,bu-
ireau Of the war department the commits
sion will be under has not been deter
mined by Secretary Taft, but he indi-
rcated that 1t might not be the bureau
of insular affairs, which, he intimahed,
already had enough work on its hands.
Under the operation of what is known
as the Dockery law, the auditing of the
commissions accounts will fall to the
duty of the auditor of the state depart
ment; but beyond the matter Of audit
ing the state department will not be
charged with any control over the COM
mission. The commission itself will
establish an elaborate system of book
keeping, through which its accounts may
be handled very readily by the state de-
partment auditor
The commission will report directly
to the secretary Of wal as often as he
may direct, upon all phases Of its op-
erations. 1t will be uaGer the same
sort of control Of the secretary Of war
as is the Philippine commission. All
directions concerning the operations Of
the commission are set out fully in the
regulations, and a recitation is n:ie RI
all the operations leading up to tic ec-
QUESTION Of the canal property and tee
appointment Of the commission. Sone
details still remain to be worked out,
but they are largely administrative In
nature, and are not regarded as essen
tial to the regulations themselves.
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