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Show .Civilian Government and Suffrage Are Wanted in Panama Canal Zone By II . T. WHITE, Civilian League of Canal Zone Civilian government of the Fanama Canal zone and effective suffrage for civilian American citizens residing in the canal zone are sought bj the newly formed Civilian League of the Canal Zone. The zone now is a military reservation. The military branch of our government is using its influence to have the canal considered primarily as a military project. The league takes the position that the business interests of the United Uni-ted States demand the fullest commercial development of the canal; that', as far as possible, the same form of government that exists in the United States should apply to the canal zone; that the civilian citizens of the United States residing in the zone should have a voice in the affairs of the zone; that the zone should he thrown open to Americans who want to own property and settle in it, the same as in the District of Columbia; that the army and navy, while permitted to do any and all necessary defensive de-fensive work for the protection of the canal, should be entirely separate and distinct from the government of the canal zone. Specific demand is made that congress grant the right of suffrage to civilian Americans residing in the zone, authorizing them to elect a resident resi-dent commissioner to represent thenr at Washington, in the same, manner as the present resident conimissionersvof the Philippine islands and Porto Eico. ' |