The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-04-01
Warren B. Wilson, a Chicago Lawyer,
Seeks to Enjoin uncIe Sam.
He Wants to Stop The Construction
of the Panama Ditch.
Insists That If Work Goes on Constitu-
ton Will Be Violated.
Believed That Parties in Boqota Are
Behind the New Move.
From tuesdays Daily.

Washington, March 29.-Warren B.
Wilson, lawyer of Chicago, yes
terday filed in the district supreme court
bill in equity for an injunction against
Secretary Shaw, the republic of Panama,
the new Panama Canal company of
France and others, to estop the construc-
tion of the Panama canal
He asks that Secretary Shaw be en-.
Joined from permitting the payment
from any moneys under his control un-
der the pretended authority of the void
act of June %, 1902, entitled an act to
provide for the construction of a canal
connecting the waters of the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans. He AYERS that there
is no appropriation by law of any money
for the payment of any of the construc-
ton expenses, and he declares that the
act of June %, 1902, is in violation of
the Constitution of the United States
and is null and void. He charges that
the treaty is wholly unconstitutional
, and invalid, both in the United States
and in Panama, in its essential features,
and confers no rights and imposes no
obligations on either of the parties d.
rectly concerned.
Mr.. Wilson charges that even if that
act were valid its terms and conditions
have not been compiled with and do not
authorize the proposed payments, which
will therefore, he alleges, violate the
constitution.
Mr. Wilson, who came here solely to
institute the proceedings, left for Chicago
last night. He said that in bringing the
proceedings he represented no person or
persons whatever except himself, al
though he does not expect people to be-
lieve that statement. He said that the
question appealed to him personally and
that he proposed to fight the case along
to the United States supreme court,
| which was the only tribunal that could
pass finally on so important a matter.
He announced that he would write to
the attorney general, asking his CO.
operation, and he said that he hoped to
satisfy the attorney general that the
proceeding was in nowise a frivolous
one. He explained in detail his personal
views on the question, claiming among
other things that the construction OF
the canal on alien territory violated
the provisions of the Federal Constitu-
| ton.
Chicago, March 2S.-Several influential
persons in Bogota are believed to be the
instigators of the suit which was
brought today by Attorney Wilson to
prevent the purchase of the Panama
canal by the United States government.
Attorney Halves, who occupies the same
office in this city with Mr.. Wilson, said
tonight:
81 am of the opinion that some Bogota
people who are opposed to the Panama
canal project are behind Wilson. Mr..
Wilson started working on the Panama
case about month ago, after he had
been visited every day for week by
prominent merchant of Bogota. He has
at least five clients in Bogota, but 1
have never learned their names. In view
of his connection with these people, the
logical conclusion is that they are the
ones that are responsible for the legal
proceedings brought in Washington to-
day."