New-York tribune., 1919-07-07
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Beekman 5000
Panama Plans Bic
Expansion; Future
Is Full of Promise
DR.. Clarence ]. Owens, Head
of Economic Survey of
Republic, Declares That
Its Progress Is Assured

The mission invited recently to make
an economic survey of the republic of
Panama returned yesterday, and DR..
Clarence J. Owens, the director, an
nounced that President Belisario Por-
ras had completed plans for the estab-
lishment Of the Pan-American College
of Commerce at the National Institute
in the City of Panama. DR.. Owens also
said President Porras would call, in
few weeks, a special session of the
Panaman Congress to pass on
recommendations of the mission re-
garding the establishment of farm
loan bank and an agricultural extern
sion service
DR.. Owens further stated that he has
received from President Porras creden-
tials for important services to be rem
dered in this country in connection
with the purchase of ships, the con-
struction of highways and fox a seen
tific survey of lands in Panama.
Bills to create the farm loan bank
and the agricultural department al
ready have been formulated, and will
be submitted to an advisory council at
Washington, comprising w P. G. Hard
ing, governor of the Federal Reserve
Board; Duncan U. Fletcher, of the IN
ternational High Commission. and John
Barrett, director general Of the Pan
American Union.
+ Other Surveys Planned
With the launching of land bank
and other plans for economic reor-
ganization in Panama, Dr. Owens said,
q I ~ h,>,a l.
seek similar surveys. DIR. Owens and
his colleagues, Including Dr. Boris
Aronow, of the Farm Loan Board; Col
onel Thomas Preston, of Chattanooga.
Tenn; Robert NJ. Estes, Of the Depart
ment of Commerce; Emilio Amores, of
the Pan American Union, and Charles
Baker, former secretary to the Gov
ernor of the Canal Zone, have formu-
lated preliminary report covering
recommendations on the following sub
jects:
farm loan act for the republic Of
Panama, registration of land titles,
transportation, law enforcement, taxa
ton, fiscal affairs, census, immigration
and colonization, health and santa
ton.
After stating that the preliminary
report, and later the complete report
of the survey, soon would be available,
~. O"SuS SdlQ Lie ODlteQ StdtGS naQ
been seriously mistaken regarding the
resources and character of the Pam
aman people.
Great Progress Certain
'The people of this country" he
said, should not accept as conclusive
the opinions expressed by so-called
statesmen who render verdicts as TO
Panama as a whole, although they
have never gone beyond the limits Of
the canal zone or of Colon or Panama
City. Panama is land of unexcelled
agricultural resources, and with the
opening of highways into the interior
is destined to be one of the richest
agricultural countries in the world.
The mission found the people with a
capacity for organization. The ono
great need is for cooperation between
the Republic of Panama and the United
States"
In connection with the founding of
the College of Commerce, President
Porras has appo.ated to the honorary
board of control the presidents of the
twenty-one republics which comprise
the Pan-Ame rican Union According to
present plans the college will be
opened January l, 1920, with ceremo-
MES in which all the countries of the
two American continents are expected
TO be represented