819.00/784
The Minister in Panama (Price) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 18.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that pursuant to the Department’s communication of August 28th, last, from [to] the Secretary of War and the reply of the War Department of September 6th,4 which [Page 683] were forwarded to the Governor of the Panama Canal with directions to have Judge Frank Feuille, Special Attorney of the Canal, in the event of concurrence with the suggestions from this Legation, to prepare drafts of bills for presentation to the National Assembly of Panama providing for: “(1), The appointment of an American police commissioner, who shall have full power to control, instruct, and guard the police force of the Republic; and (2), The appointment of an American fiscal agent, who shall have control and charge of the National Treasury”, Judge Feuille and I have held several conferences, going over the files relating to these matters in the past, and in addition calling before us Mr. A. R. Lamb, the American Instructor of the Panaman police force, to secure the benefit of such observations as he had [to offer] resulting from his practical experience in connection with the force.
Judge Feuille is at work on the draft of these proposed bills, attempting to provide in them all the powers possible for the contemplated officials consistent with the Constitution of Panama, and with due regard to Panaman public sentiment.
I have already let the Panaman Foreign Office know in more than one conference the expectation of our Government with reference to the several reforms that have been proposed to them and, in fact, to the leaders of both political elements.
. . . . . . .
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩