The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-07
NOTHING DOING.
Referring to canal work The Kansas City Journal says:

--s~0-~ NOTHING DOING.
 Referring to canal work The Kansas City Journal says:
 It is apparent that Congress will be called or, fo take a hand in the Panama canal muddle next winter if that pro- | feet Is to be forced to successful con- clusion without unnecessary I0ee Of time. Notwithstanding the urgent de- mands of President Roosevelt for visi- ble progress in promoting this great undertaking. almost a year has passed since Congress authorized the project and as yet almost nothing 1,n,so has been obstacles presented themselves, but they were not insuperable.
 And again: x
 When the board of consulting en- gineers return from Panama the propo- sition of the canal, so far as the en- gineering problems are concerned. will be In exactly the same status as last s145.o00.o00 to build the canal. Pre- sumably under this system of progress other boards will be Sent to Panama, e oad waiting of or os anGss Ess Ts and either throws over the whole propo- sition or adopts the Lindon Bates plan of construction, or some other equally rational system.
 It seems pretty certain that when Congress meets the whole subject will be threshed over again. It is not likely that the advocates of the Nicara- qua project will interfere, but it is probable that there will be such con- fict of opinion among the advocates of the Panama route. and such differences as to plan and cost of the canal. that much Ame will be consumed before anything is really done. As The Jour nal says, practically nothing has been done. There have been misunderstand- ings, differences and recriminations without end, and that has been all shonts may be a thoroughly conscien- tious man and q competent railroad engineer. but he has not yet shown that he is a canal builder. and in the short time he has been there he has encountered as much dissatisfaction and friction as Wallace did.
 The plan of sending a delegation of Compressor on Junket to the isthmus at government expense is on a par with some of the other nonsensical perform ances that have attended this business from the start. When they return they will probably know just as much about canal building as they do at present. and that is--nothing. It does seem that human incompetency and perversity have worked In harmony with climatic and other impediments to delay the work, and If there are some who predict that this generation will not see the canal completed they are not much to blame.
 We note that there has been some criticism of Senator Morgan among the extreme administration papers because he refused to be one of the junketing party to go down to Panama and pre- sumably come back and tell all about it. To all such we commend the fol- | lowing editorial from The Chicago Chronicle, which certainly Is authorized
 to speak for its party. and which can
 not be accused of prejudice against the
 administration or its acts. It says: | Senator Morgan is probably the most l intelligent man in this country on the l subject or the fanaInd cdndif HOt even | excepting the board of consulting en-
 gineers. He made speech in the Sen
 ate on this question which required nine
 days for its delivery. and although | ordinarily the value of Congressional
 oration is in inverse proportion to its
 length this particular speech was
 monumental in its learning and argu- | mentation.
 | The Senator, who favored the Nicara- | qua route, showed in this speech to the
 satisfaction of all unbiased students of
 the subject that the Panama route was
 an impossible one, and in his letter to
 President Shonts he intimates as much
 II have not believed that success would | crown their efforts,' he said. speaking | of Secretary Hay and Minister Bunau- | varilla, You may find the key to un- | lock the barriers that nature has inter l posed at Panama. If you should be | so fortunate 1 will applaud your genius | and courage"
 Senator Morgan's skepticism Is shar.
 ed by many of his fellow citizens whC | do not believe that the Panama. cana
 can ever be constructed on any plan | whatever.