Show Panama Point PANAMA January 3 The canal work ii progressing Contractors are satisfied although they are working against difficulties in consequence of the tail end of the rainy eeason and the celebration bration of the December holidays The sanitary record is good The new customs law published in the Panama Gazette is of interest to merchants mer-chants Two of the articles are of special interest One of these absolutely prohibits the importation of canes umbrellas or other articles which con eal knives and swords while the second prohibits the importation by private ndividuals of any article which by its nature or designation will serve as an Instrument war or for the arming or quipment of troops A law has been passed by the assembly at Bogota monopolizing the sale of salt in Panama The exclusive right to sell the article will be granted to whoeve will pay the highest price for it The collection of the salt tax in the o itni Santa Fe de Bogota whence this r law emanated was the cause of the riots during the astcentury in that city which subsequently led to the great evolution which culminated in the liberation of Spanish America from Spain |