The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-05-13
SECRETARY TAFT WILL ExER-
C1sE SUPREME AUTHORITY T
IN CANAL MAorERs.
DAVIS MADE GOVERNOR
OF AMERICAN ZONE
Latter Will Appoint Judge fc::a Terri
tory-President and Advisers Con-
fer Over Provisions for Regulation:
Of Isthmian Strip. E%g ,.:@

Attorney General Knox, at which the
regulations to govern the Isthm1ans
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 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 its powers un-
der the direction and supervision OF the
secretary of war; :, 4,.as. =,
Davis Appointed Governor.
Gen. George W. Davis, the army menu
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 it mani
testify would be impossible for the presi-
dent. in the exercise of his duties, 10
give that personal attention to the canaL
work which is absolutely necessary, and,
az the war department hitherto has ex-
cised supervisory control over public
civil and military works, and govern
mental control over the territory de-
pendent upon the country lit was deemed
advisable that the isthmian commission
should operate under the direction OF the
war department. What particular bu-
reau of the war department the commls--
sion will be under has not been deter
mined by Secretary Taft, but he moi
Gated that it might not be the bureau
of insular affairs. which, he intimated,
already had enough work on It's 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 war as often as he
may direct, upon all phases of it's op-
erations. 1t will be under the same
sort of control of the secretary OF war
as is the Philippine commission. AL
directions concerning the operations OF
the commission are set out fully in the
regulations, and a recitation is made of
all the operations leading up to the &C
QUESTION of the canal property and the
appointment of the commission. Some
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.