Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-23
MORGAN CALLS
CANAL CHOICE
A FRAUD
FRENCH coMPANY's OFFER, HE
SAYS, is A PROPOSAL TO IN
VoLVE THE U. S. IN STU
PENDoUs WRONG.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-The supple
mental report OF the Isthmian Canal COM
mission, now in the hands of the president,
according to the statement of member
of the commission approves the Panama
Canal route as 1.-The most feasible and
practical route connecting the two
oceans" as. under the law creating the
! commission. it was deputed to determine.
The report was signed by every member
OF the commission. There is a provi3o
which stipulates that the proposition must
be accepted by the United States by the
4th OF March, 1909 This makes it impera-
tive that the present congress shall deal
with the subject II the Panama route is
to be seriously considered.
Forty Millions the Sum.
Forty million dollars even is the sum
agreed upon.
The commission was also officially as
sured that the French court which has
charge of the affairs of the company will
accept the sale of the property of the
company to the United States as set
Element Of the question in the French
courts.
The report, which reached the president
last evening, will probably be sent to con-
gress tomorrow.
The members OF the commission hold
that they have secured one million more
dollars of value than when they fixed the
value of the canal in their first report at
not more than 100000. The excavating
machinery is not the sort American con-
tractors would use, but the commission
holds that the material named can be
made available.
In connection with the Panama railroad
the report will show that this road owns
almost all of the ground upon which the
town of Colon is built; that ii possesses
valuable piers and wharves at each ter
minus Of the road and a half interest in
several Of the Islands just off the coast.
Recommend Acceptance.
In agreeing to pa. S4O,O00OOO for the
property the commission allowed 10 per
cent for omission and work that has been
done during the past year. 1t has been
shown to the commission so the report
says, that for the past year an average of
1900 men have been steadily at work on
the canal and that the work done during
that time is entitled to consideration. The
commission recommends that the offer be
accepted
The report further states that under the
maximum computations of it's engineers,
the cost of the Panama canal will not
be more than 1854. 600, 900, or 5000, 900 less
than the Nicaragua route.
Senator Morgan said:
1T is said that the commission has
made a unanimous report in favor of the
Panama route. / should be glad to know
upon what point they have decided with
such unanimity.
IF it is the engineering problem. then
the commission have abandoned their own
figures. made from surveys and calcula-'
lions by their own engineers. to accept the
figures OF the French engineers of the
Panama company. There is change pro-
posed which has never been surveyed.
The commission made a few borings along
the line OF the Panama route that is all.
Many Legal Difficulties.
III they have decided unanimously to re-
port that the Panama company can give
clear title to the property there are many
points involving legal difficulties which l
fail to see the way out of without tearing
up at least twenty decisions of the SUI
preme court OF the United States.
THE Panama Railway company is a
corporation formed under the laws of New
York. 1t is a serious question whether
the French Panama Canal company has
the right to hold and vote stock in this
company. and therefore the stock held by
citizens of this country, amounting to
probably SlOOO,000, may be the controlling
interest. and one stakeholder might hold
up the transfer of the railroad to the
United States.
'"The proposition is to buy the Panama
Railway company for the purpose OF de-
stroying it. There are several decisions
of the supreme court which would pre-
vent this proposition being carried out If
the stockholders object.
THE right of way across Colombia can
only be obtained by treaty, and l do not
believe that two-thirds vote of the SEN
ate can be obtained to ratify a treaty
similar to the Hay-Pauncefote instrument
with the government OF Colombia, and,
I'm any event, IL could only lead to great
delay.
French Might Retake It.
There are, I believe. almost insuperable
difficulties I'm the way of the construction
OF the Panama canal by this government,
and before such obstacles could be over
come. or while they were getting in shape
for settlement. the French Panama COM
pany would, NJ Lampre stated, go on with
the work, and when we finally found that
the United States could not acquire the
title and right Of way, work would have
progressed to such a point i'm the Panama
canal that the French people might again
take up the canal and push il to compile
ton, while the American people would be
standing around with their fingers in their
mouths, wondering what had happened to
them"
NJ Lampre. secretary of the French
Panama company:
Il know only what I see i'm the news
papers, but IL begins to look as though we
would have our offer considered. / have
not seen any members of the commission
since they completed their report. but il
1t is, as the newspapers say, favorable to
the Panama route, l shall remain in
Washington until the report reaches the
Senate and some action is taken on II
there"
BITTER FIGHT CERTAIN
TO COME IN SENATE