Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-23
Paris Litigation Will Make No
Difference In Progress of
Canal Affairs
FRANCE is GIVEN NOTICE
The United States Government Will
Not Submit to Any Estortion on the
Part Of the old Canal comapny--
Cabinet Discusses the Subject at
Last Meeting.

Washington March 23.--Altho the
litigation in Paris over the transfer OF
the Panama canal property to the
United States is considered worthy OF
the dispatch thither of w. \. Day, as
sistant to the attorney general, and c.
w. Russell. special assistant attorney,
this government will not permit a le
gal tangle to interfere with the shovel.
ing of dirt on the isthmus.
The first meeting of the Panama
and it became known that diplomatic
correspondence had been held with
France on the subject The state de-
lartment has Informed the French gov
eminent of the mission TO France of
Messrs. Day and Russell. The hope
was expressed that they would be able
to see the legal difficulties removed.
This communication was made the
occasion to inform France that the
United States now having possession
Of the canal strip will not allow litiga-
ton to interfere with the construction
of the waterway and that progress in
that direction would be made regard
less of the complications in Paris. In
the canal treaty Panama agrees to give
the United States the use of any prop
erty or land it may need in building the
canal.
a response has been received from
France in an expression of apprecia-
ton of this governments position. The
French government expresses a Will
ingness to assist in removing the legal
obstacles.
The government will submit to no
shrewd game to make 1t pay more than
$40 ,0o0, 900 for the French canal COM
pany's property. That sum is waiting
distribution to the proper parties. bur
the United States will not wait to dig
the canal until the disputa1ts deter
mine who shall receive the money.
Mr.. Day will look after the transfer
of shares of stock in Paris and Mr..
Russell will devote his attention 10
seeing that the votes of the stock
holders are legally recorded. The
president has decided the expenditures
Of the canal commission shall not be
disbursed thru the war department.
The civil service status of employees of
the commission still looms up as an
important problem. The legislation
under which the commission Will make
It's expenditures is extremely liberal.
no limit being set for some of them.
President Roosevelt entertained the
members of the isthmian canal COM
mission and Secretary of War Taft at
luncheon yesterday. During the lunch
con there was general disc ussion of
the duties of the commission and the
general scope OF the work.
In course of the discussion letter
written by the president March was
read 1t was in the nature OF instruc-
tons to the commission.
After a reference to the Importance
Of the work, the president III the let
ter declared he had selected The MEM
bers of the commission because of their
ability and standing, but Ii at any time
they neglected to serve with fidelity
and efficiency, he would feel at liberty
to remove them.
The president also urged The COM
mission to disregard any and all In
fiuences that may be brought to bear
on them in the selection of their as
sistants.
Continuing, the president in his letter
said:
..As to the details of the work itself
[ have but little to say. 1t is to be
done as expeditiously as possible and
as economically as is consistent with
&c ypa ftny n
when I wish to call your special at
Lention; the question OF sanitation AMI
hygiene You will take measures 70
secure the best medical experts for this
purpose whom you can obtain, and you
will, of course, make the contractors
submit as implicitly as your own EN-.
ployes to all rules and regulations OF
the medical department under you.
presume you viii find it best to have
one head for this medical department.!
but that / shall leave to your own
Judgment.
"The plans are to be carefully made
with a view to the needs not only Of
he moment but of the future. The
expenditures are to be supervised as
vigorously as if they We're being made
'or u private corporation dependent
sor its profits upon the returns. You
are to secure the best talent this coun-
.ry can afford to meet the conditions
sreated by every need which may arise.
The methods for achieving the results
must be yours. What this nation will
INSIST upon is that the results be