OCR Text |
Show PANAMA CAN' AFFORD TO BE LIBERAL. The effort to adjust the Panama-Colombian troubles by a financial payment In consideration of peaceable acquiescence acquies-cence In separation and the recognition by Colombia of the independence of Panama, Js the only fair way out of the difficulty. But It is evident that Colombia Co-lombia will want something more than the payment by Panama of a million dollars of the external debt of the country coun-try as It existed before the secession. And we think that more ought to be paid. Panama can very well. afford to pay over to Colombia five million dollars of the ten millions it will receive for the canal franchise. Tho remainder, with the annual payments of $250,000 by this country, will make the Panama Government Gov-ernment the richest on earth, proportionately propor-tionately to the population of the country. coun-try. A Government that embraces a population popu-lation practically the same in numbers as that of Utah, having no debt,' but a surplus of five million- dollars to begin with and an annual subsidy of a quarter quar-ter of a. million dollars, besides the local taxation and customs revenue, may fairly be said to be in the greatest sort of luck. Panama should not haggle about the money paj-meut to Cqlombia if the latter will consent to any sort of a reasonable. cash settlement; but should be glad to pay and end the complication. |