Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-29
NOT FOR NE, MORGAN
DECLINES TO TAKE PANAMA
TRIP.

~ dispatch from Birmingham. Ala, last
night says: Senator John T. Morgan Of
Alabama has written letter to Chairman
Il. P. Shonts of the Panama canal commits
sion declining the invitation to accompany
the commission which left New York today
for Panama. The senator thinks nothing
will be accomplished by the trip His letter
says in part:
I'm your telegram of the 22d instant you
speak OF a large party who are to sail
with the commission and the advisory
board to Colon. and are to have comfort
able facilities for making tours of inspec-
ton and examination of the canal. In the
ma tier of sightseeing, such facilities will
afford much pleasure, which / regret I am
not prepared to enjoy, but do not suppose
that such a surface inspection of the APP
pearance of cond .tions in Panama would
give me any data from which l could form
any judgment as to the practicabilty of a
lock canal sea-level canal, or the pref
ercree due to either plan, to the cost
or the time required for the completion of
the canal on either plan.
Could Reach No Conclusion.
II could not wisely, intelligently and
justly give an opinion to any commissioner
or to any member of the advisory board as
to the possibility of a dam at Bohio, 16S
feet below the level of the sea, that would
SUPPLY canal at ninety feet above sea
level; or to a dam at Or below Getun
that would supply canal at thirty feet
above sea level; or as to a dam at Gamboa
that would control the waters of the
Chagres river or as to a possible tunnel to
/ either ocean to carry off those flood waters.
Il could not inform the able. courageous,
and distinguished chief of the hygienic
service in the canal zone whether, if we
should food all the breeding places of the
stegomyia fascaita with great lakes, we
would not increase them a thousand fold
along the margins of the great bodies of
fresh water, in the tropical underground
that would spring up around them In a few
hours
Il must say that I dstrust the expected
advantages to Congress or to the country
OF such an excursion the value of any
opinion that may be formed on great engin-
eering problems by a body of gentlemen
who are non-professional and must form
their conclusions from surface appearances
Sustained Government.
''Since the ratification of the Hay-va-
rilla treaty, which 1 opposed 1 have done
all that l could, and much more than l
thought could ever be of advantage to the
country, to sustain the government in it's
purpose to construct canal at Panama
Yet I have not believed that success could
crown their efforts, even in their most
costly and desperate form. You may find
the key to unlock the barriers that nature
has interposed at Panama. If you should
be so fortunate, l will applaud your genius
and courage | will vote to provide you
with every reasonable authority and power
to accomplish your task and to meet your
tremendous responsibility.
lr the effort to answer your friendly in
vitation with perfect frankness, if l have
said anything that jars upon your sensibili-
ties l have not so intended it and would
resret 1t. beg to assure you of my sincere
respect and to say that l will rejoice with
you in the successful completion of the
neat work in your charge Sincerely
yt tsrfs,---------~---.JOTIN T. MORGAN.li--