The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-31
MR. MORGAN TALKS
VENERABLE STATESMAN DISCUSS , Es CANAL PROBLEMS.
Is of the Opinion That All Engineers are Not Graduated from West POint--The Pending Arr
 bitratiOn Treaties.

Washington, Dec. 30.--(Special. )-- Senator John T. Morgan who was con- fined to his rooms during the severe weather which prevailed in the last days preceding the adjournment for the holidays. Is quite well row. and hard at work.
 The venerable Alabama statesman talked with earnest animation today at his home in John Marshall Place about several problems confronting the exec- utive and legislative branches of the Government.
 He Is not in sympathy with the prop osition of Chairman Hepburn of the House Interstate Commerce Committee that the Panama Canal Board should be restricted to army engineers. Not all the engineering genius" said the Senator, 'goes to West Point or Is graduated from there."
 The Senator is of the opinion that the Commission should be mixed, as the law now provides. He thinks that the zone should be made a military reser- vation, for 1t was inevitable that we would be in continual trouble with the isthmian people. Eventually, the Sen- ator thinks, annexation will come about, although serious menace in the situation Is contained in that clause of the Hay-Varilla treaty which allows the Republic of Panama. without our consent, to merge with any other coun- try.
 Senator Morgan, while taking no op- timistic view as to the success of the canal, said that he wished to do all in his power to aid in the solution of the problem. Enough at least has devel- oped through Investigations of Engi- neer Wallace to show that A new sur vey would have to be made and that viewed from every phase in which he had examined the prospect, there ap- peared no practical way to get start on the work At best, the beginning must continue several years. The idea of a sea level canal was utterly im- practicable and was abandoned by the French. It was now a question of needing the word of men who would say that the thing of building the ca nal was possible, and which might be pcs sible with enough money. but the size of the sum would be something that was appalling to contemplate.
 The Senator said he had been stand ing for the Spooner law and would con- tinue to do 50, for that act yet af- forded a way out of the difficulty in the event of the failure of the effort to get a canal across the Isthmus of Panama Nicaragua remained and of fered a route. Stlll the investment in Panama, Ss far as 1t had gone. was well worth the money. The $40,000.- 900 paid for the zone was well spent even for the railroad across the isth- mus. "If owned the railroad" said the Senator. ''and could prevent 1t, I would allow no canal to be built through the isthmus."
 Speaking of the number of arbitra- ticn treaties which are pending in the Senate, Senator Morgan said: we dc mt know where these various treaties are to lead us. We are like a tail to of what winds we know not"
 The Senator remarked that the South American countries were in an cytreme- ly ugly mood toward the United States, and the treaty propositions presented q f1cult problems
 He has no fear of any arbitration treaty involving payment of repudiated bonds. Ours are not the only States" said the Senator. having such bonds. If any such thing is attempted or it we are threatened of having to pay debts unjustIy saddled upon us by car petbag governments, it is we'll enough to remember that if we should be pro- vcked to do mean things. We could do it with rush. An immense amount of alien capital is invested in our States and the property representing it could be taxed for revenue to meet the bond performance.
 Senator Morgan said he had not fully examined that phase of the arbitration discusison, and was not prepared to say
 R. IT. Watkins.