Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-13
HA[TS PANAMA TRIP
Secretary of War Dickinson
Delays Sailing.
STOPS OVER IN new YORK
Complications Arise in Coastwise
Trade Negotiations.
TO HOLD MEETING TOMORROW
Plans Not Affected by Mexican Sit
uation or the Movement
of Troops.
STOPS OVER IN new YORK
TO HOLD MEETING TOMORROW

NEW YORK. March 13-Jacob NJ.
Dickinson. Secretary Of War, will not
sail for Panama this afternoon on a
canal inspection trip. as he had planned
to do. unexpected complications having
arisen in the pending negotiations be-
tween the Panama Railroad Company
and the steamship lines operating for
the government, which necessitated his
remaining in this city until tomorrow
at least.
Secretary Dickinson was emphatic in
declaring that the Mexican situation was
not influencing his plans in the slightest
degree.
Secretary Dickinson arrived at the
office of the Panama Railroad Company
this morning. where he was engaged with
the vice president of that company and
of the California-Atlan-
tic Steamship Company and the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company in regard to
the new agreements to be made between
the Panama Railroad Company and those
steamship companies.
The present allowance Of 20 per cent
to the steamers plying in the coastwise
trade had been allowed by the Panama
Railroad Company, with right to terminate
1t upon ninety days notice.
The ninety-day notice was given with a
view of entering into new arrangements
and the time expires in April.
Cannot Leave Now.
Recently in Washington a hearing was
held by the Secretary Of War. at which
were represented the steamship lines
above mentioned. the Panama Railroad
Company and the Observation-Disclosures
Steamship Line. The Secretary Of War
then announced tentatively the basis he
had in mind for the new agreement.
He stated that he had expected that
those contracts all would be settled be-
fore he went to Panama, for It was not
desirable to leave the matter unsettled
during an absence of three or four weeks,
as the present agreements were, under
the notice. running to an expiration.
Upon being asked whether or not he
was going to Panama this afternoon he
stated that he would postpone his trip
until the matters above referred to could
be adjusted.
He stated that it now appeared that
agreements might be reached which.
while not satisfactory to the various
them, but that this required the settle
ment of number of very important
questions, some involving very serious
differences developed at this morning e
conference, which would have to be
passed On by him personally. He has
called a meeting Of the board of d.
rectors Of the Panama Railroad Com
pany for tomorrow.
Asked whether this postponement was
affected in any way by the Mexican
situation or the movement Of troops to
Texas, Secretary Dickinson stated that
these considerations had nothing to dc
with it: that this trip had been arranged
before the adjournment Of Congress. and
the time fixed, and it was understood
when he left Atlanta that he would pro-
coed to Panama, neither the President
nor the Secretary of War being then
fully advised as to the present negotia-
lions with. regard to the new agreements
with respect to the Panama Railroad
Company.
Only for General Inspection.
The Secretary said that his going to
Panama was not specially urgent. and
was only for a general inspection, which
could be made any time.
Secretary Dickinson, in discussing the
movement of troops in Texas. declared
that talk about the troops being sent
there for Intervention in the affairs OF
Mexico was unjustifiable and had no
foundation In fact.
He said that the friendliest relations ex-
listed between the two governments, that
the Mexican government fully understood
the movement of the troops, and that II
was in no sense hostile to that govern
ment. He added that the movement OF
troops did not have In view any effect
upon the insurrectionary movement In
Mexico other than might result from a
nroper enforcement of the neutrality
laws.