New-York tribune., 1905-11-21
canal LEVEL NOTSETTLED
nprsTDENT TO PISS ON IT.
NJ Is .4nxious to Secure Use Of
uatsr7cay by Present Generation.
IRON The tribune Bureau. }


.,,+on Nov. 20-The decision of the
p.,rd Of Consulting kngineers OF the Panama
b'2. f,vor of sea level construction does not
os-a. means settle the question as TO the kind
2 -. .a-vrav TO be dug Before the govern
O = committed to either style of canal the
nsl. -, and Congress must both be satisfied
;. t,a best plan. after ali considerations
p p o,sf and danger are taken into account
90 tho President gets the report Of the en-
W come time in January he will submit the
e1'ar, 10 the Canal Commission and proba-
,-onrress The President. it may be said
p ,er,. good authority, is anxious to build
aha, viii ne Of some use for the present
Co. -.tioa He hopes. of course. TO construct a
-, marine highway for posterity, but is de-
s.,es that the people of this day shall derive
t.,eAt from the tremendous expenditure or
money AMI labor
= extremely unlikely that Congress viii
sea level canal # the cost is to be
.s.d "a several hundred millions of dollars
-. ti1,e of construction pushed ahead for
-,nsrafion. The members and Senators VINO
:, fa,or Of the waterway want TO see 1t COM
sa themselves. and they know if a sea lever
* adopted they viii never live until that
- day when the waters of the two oceans
70 a.nole sneaker Cannon is said to be op-
..5 tn 2 large increase of appropriation ioi
r.1 and there is authority for the state
-.nt that the President is by no means con-
- that such an increase Of cost will be
needed.
..Tbe President will have to be convinced be-
- rrfI1 agree 10 a sea level canal" said
=. If The commissioners in discussing the mat
..r to-5av. He is. Of course. thus far uncom-
-,,,,As 10 either plan, but the cheapness OF
,.., anal ss contrasted with the deeper ditch.
:. ,op as the shortness of time required TO
.,,,nlAte if. and the Iessened danger in its con-
s.-,ct;o1 appeai very strongly to him, and
u,,sss tbe advocates of the deeper level project
,ons forward with some very much stronger
,.-r,sn+s than have heretofore been imagined
:. v5u he in favor of the locks. If il were now
.bs beginning of the twenty-frst century instead
= the twentieth a sea level waterway could be
undertaken with more propriety the world
progresses"
The President had a long consultation this
morning upon Panama Canal and railroad rate
matters with Representative Mann. of Illinois.
Mr. Mann is a prominent member Of the House
Committee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce which will have general charge of both
subjects at the coming session. After his IN
terHiew with the Fre5ident Mr. Mann said that
he would in all probability reintroduce the bill
be presented last winter which provides for the
sholition of the Panama Canal Commission and
places the work of building the canal directly
in the hands Of the President If the measure IS
presented TO Congress again it will probably
have the administration support, as did the hrst
Mann bill Mr. Mann while at the White House
paid his respects to General Davis and Mr.
Bun OF the Board Of Consulting Engineers OF
the Panama Canal for the manner in which they
have switched from the advocacy Of lock to
sea level project
General Davis and Mr.. Burr" said Mr.. Mann,
were two of a committee of three which went
10 Panama for the express purpose of reporting
the Bollio dam. They came back and gave
such a glowing account of the prospects for
lock canal at Panama that Congress turned
away from Nicaragua and appropriated SlS5,-
000000 for Panama. Congress would not have
made the appropriation but for that report.
Now, I'm spite of the fact that they turned the
course of legislation to Panama. and Congress
upon their recommendation decided TO pay for
local canal they proceed TO join hands with
the foreign members Of the engineer board for
sea level project. In the meantime millions
upon millions have been spent by this govern
ment. Forty millions in one lump to the re-
public Of Panama, and l don't know how many
more millions in the bitches between Colon and
Panama. Well, that's the way the money
goes"
Mr. Mann indicated his belief that no diff
Guilty would be experienced in Congress in pro-
curing the legislation necessary to provide funds
10 continue the construction of the canal.
Chief Engineer Stevens of the Panama
Canal Commission viii leave Colon for Wash
lngton next Thursday. He is coming to give
the commission Information on different phases
OF the work on the isthmus. but more partic-
ularly his views as to the type of canal.
An estimate of $16,O00000 for continuing work
On the Panama Canal has been sent to the
treasury Department from the War Depart
inent 10 be sent to Congress.
The estimate of S16000000 is for expenditures
up to and including the fiscal year ending June
81, 1900. part of this money viii be necessary
at once, and an emergency appropriation win be
asked as soon as Congress conVenes, in order
t,at the work may proceed. 1t is stated at the
oIhces OF the commission to-day that unless the
money is provided as soon as Congress con-
Nehes all work must cease. The estimate is
made made without regard TO the proposal to issue
Q. S GOLD PRODUCTION LAST YEAR.