Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-26
new PANAMA TREATY
Ratifcations Exchanged at
the State Department.
NEGOTIATIONS ENDED
PROCLAMATION MAKING THE
AGREEMENT EFFECTIVE SIGNED.
Nominations for the Canal Commission
May Not Go to the Senate
Until Next Week.
NEGOTIATIONS ENDED

Panama canal treaty
rms exchange marks the close Of diplo-
ma'ic negotiations. running back to the first
Qusrter OF the last century, looking to the
requirement by the United States of canal
rights on the isthmus. What remains to be
done now is nothing more than the adjust
ment of certain legal questions by the law
ohcefs OF this government; the State De-
partment has filled it's functions
The Last Act.
There was no attempted ceremony in this
last act. There were present in the diplo-
matte room only Secretary Hay. Mr.. Bunau-
VarlIla, Sidney Smith, chief of the diplo-
matlc bureau, and Eddie Savoy, the veteran
messenger of the Secretary, who has had to
90 with the sealing and signature of many
treaties The protocols of exchange signed
yesterday by the President were counter
signed today by Secretary Hay, using a
oeauti1ui silver gold-tipped pen holder, with
winch the secretary has signed every treaty
since MS accession to Office. and which is
destined when his career is rounded out to
become the property of his son Clarence as
d historic heirloom. The seal was used with
secretary Hays private signet ring
having completed the great object of his
MISSION 10 this country with today's ex-
changes, Mr Bunau-Varilla will very soon
iehhquish his post as minister of Panama.
Signs the Proclamation.
President Roosevelt, at II 80 O'clock this
morning, signed the proclamation putting
into effect the treaty. Immediately after
being signed, the proclamation was re-
turned to the State Department, where the
exchange OF ratifications already had taken
place. The cabinet was in session when
ane proclamation reached the White House
secretary Loeb took it to the President and
he signed 1t Immediately
IL was expected that the President
might send to the Senate today his an
pointments on the canal commission, but
IN the circumstances the appointments may
NO. go 10 1ne Senate before the first of
next week The President has been in
formed by telegraph that BENJAMIN n
Harrod Of New Orleans has mailed to him
e statement regarding the charges pre-
1erred against him.. Until he has received
this statement and given 1t Consideration
the probability is that the official an
nouncement of the personnel of the COM
mission VIII be withheld. Even in the alb
Roosevelt is fairly assured that the
charges made are not Of sufficient weight
to warrant him In withdrawing the tender
made to him of a position on the commits
Harrod will be the seventh member of the
body.
a. The Litigation In Paris.
be settled above referred to is the effect
upon canal payments of the pending litiga-
tfoh In France concerning the canal Brief
ly stated, the Colombian government sues
to prevent the directory of the new Panama
Canal Company from refusing admission
to the board of it's representatives. With
the amount of stock such representative
would control, with united certain elements
new regime, it might be possible to pre-
vent the consummatfon of the sale of the
canal property to the United States. Rut
the state Department has a conviction
based on unofficial assurances that the
french court will reject the Colombian suit
Another legal question is whether under
the terms of the Spooner act, the $40. OOO OOo
winch was to be paid to Colombia can now
De paid to Panama. and it Is for the At
terney General to decide whether addi
uonai enabling legislation will be required
1t will be some time before these cues
tions can be settled, and meanwhile no
money is likely to pass ~
Minister Bunau-Varilla RESIGNS.
From the State Department the minister
with the exchange copy of the treaty nm
der his arm, drove to the cable Office and
offered his resignation as minister from
Panama to Washington to the president
'The exchange Of ratifcations of the
treaty has taken place today at 1O.45 tbus
finishing the accomplishment of nv duty
toward the republic of Panama I request
your excellency, in conformity with what
| have expressed in my letter of Oath Of
November last to the department of for
eign affairs. to accept my resignation from
today and to send me by next mail INV
letters of recall.
(Signed) "BUNAU-VARILI,A."
Mr.. Bunau-Varilla expects to remain in
this country for fortnight, and will go
then to Paris to attend to his private b,,si-
ness, which he says has been greatly neg
lected for some time in consequence of his
efforts in behalf of the canal 1t is o,lite
possible that the Panama government will
wish Mr.. Bunau- Varilla to remain in charge
OF the legation until his successor, Dr..
Arosemena, arrives, and 1t is probable that
the minister will consent to extend his mis-
sion until that time.
Money Held in Trust.
Replying to the inquiry why the Panama
government was not to receive today in ac-
cordance with the terms of the treaty the
ten million dollars which this country has
pledged itself to pay, the minister said:
For two reasons-first because / had
informed the officials that were a check
for this amount handed me I should he
compelled to return 1t, because I have all
along said that did not care to be con-
nected in any way with the financial deal
ings arising from the canal sale and fur
ther, because the government of Panama
has net yet decided on program for the
Investment of this sum aud would, there-
fore. prefer that 1t should not be trans
ferred for the present
"A second reason Is the necessity of
accomplishing certain legal formaiities
with the Panama Canal Company which
the Attorney General of the United States
thinks should be settled simultaneously
with the payment of the purchase price
For this reason the preference of the
Panama government that the money be
held in trust here for the present is in
harmony with the wishes of this govern
ment."
Asked about the nature OF these for
malfties. Mr.. Bunau-V -Varilla said:
These forfnalities arise from the special
situation of the canal property. which is
now in the hands of receiver and can
not be transmitted without authorization
OF the courts. The absurd theory OF CO.
lombia that certain parts of the contract
between Colombia and Panama are still
- A.. ~k1~