The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-29
NAY, NAY," SAYS MORGAN
 ----s--~ No Panama Jaunt For the Alabama Senator. HE WRITES TO SHONTS Declines to Accompany the
 Commission. Points Out FutiiIty of Casual Trip ef Inspectlon by Body of Gentle
 men Who Are Noa-Pro-
 fessionsls.
HE WRITES TO sHONTs

Birmingham. Sept. 2s.--senator John T. Morgan of Alabama has written q letter to chairman T. r. shonts of Ing the invitation to accompany the Commission which leaves New York to- day for Panama. The senator thinks nothing will be accomplished by the trip. His letter says in part: Tn your telegram of the 22nd insts you speak of large party who are to sail with the commission and the ad~s visory board to Colon, and are to have comfortable facilities for making tours of inspection and examination of the canal. Tn the matter of sightseeing such facilities will afford much pieas~3 ure, which I regret I am not propared: to enjoy; but I do not suppose that such a surface Inspection of the Mp- pearance of condition in Panama would give me any data from which I could form any judgment as to the practfeA~ l bility of q 1ock-canal, or a eea-iexef canal, or the preference due to either | plan, or as to the cost. or the time re- | quired for the completion of the canak l on either plan.
 l T could not wisely, fntelIIgently on | justly give an opinion to any commls~ sioner or to any member of ths advis~ | at Bohio. Ies feet below the level ok
 the sea, that would supply canal at | ninety feet above sea level. or as to dam at or below Gatun that would sup~ l ply a canal at thirty feet above aea 1 level. or as to a dam at Gamboa that | would control the waters Of the Cha~ l gres River; or to tine possible tunnel to
 either ocean to carry off those food | waters.
 T could not inform the able. cour- lageous and distinguished chief of tho 1 hygIenfe service in the canal xena whether. # we should hcod all the breeding places of the stegomyia fa&~ ciatn with great lakes, we would not increase them thousand fold along the | margins of the great bodies Of fKeNh water, In the tropical undergrowth that
 would spring up around them in few hours.
 The Casual Inapcefinn
 Indeed, this is no question. among the many vital ones that concern this great inquiry, upon which any rational mind could give any reliable infornla- ton or form any correct Judgment from what one could see or hear in the tours along the canal that this party Of wig- itors will have the opportunity to makes
 T must say that distrust the ex- pected advantages to Congress or Co the country of such an excursion, or the value of any opinions that inay be form& ed on great engineering problems by a body of gentlemen who are Il, a-proseH- sional and must from their conclusions from surface appearances. Neither ce these important committees can derfv4 any legitimate conclusions upon vital facts that must control that vast aub- feet, from the opinions of those who are mere guests of an excursion party and they will be men of extraordinary selfpoise if they are not influenced by what may be prevailing sentimene among them.
 Since the ratification of the Hay@ varilIa treaty. which opposed, have done all that I could and much more than I thought could ever be of ad> vantage to the country, to sustain the government in it's purpose to construct e canal at Panama, yet have not be- lieved that success could crown their efforts, even in their most costly and desperate forms. You may find tho key to unlock the barriers that nature has interposed at Panama.
 If you should be so fortunate, wiIE applaud your generosity and couragess I will vote to provide you with every reasonable authority and power to acs compIish your task and to meet youR tremendous responsibility.
 'Tn the effort to answer your friendst Iy invitation with perfect frankne1s ie I have said anything that jars upon your sensibilities, I have not so irtend- ed 1t and would regret it. I beg to assure you of my sincere respect and to say that will rejoice with you In the successful completion of the great work in your charge.
 "Sincerely yours.
 (SiEned) John T. Morgan