West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-11-30
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Outlook for the Building Of The
Panama Canal Has Bad Back SET,
Several Important Matters for The
Consideration Of the Com
ing Congress,
ReguIar correspondenl OF rhe Areus

are despondent over tAe report OF
the board of consulting engineers
recommending sea level canal in
stead of a lock canal is putting the
case as mildly as possible. The
feeling almost amounts TO dismay
and it is very possible that 1t will
result in hanging up the project for
long period of wrangle and de-
bate in Congress even il 1t does not
end by a congressional invesliga-
tion, the abolition of the canal com
mission and the tnrning over Of the
whole work 20 the army. Indeed
the latter course is freely discussed.
If II is adopted il will be a high
compliment to the army engineer
corps and the worst sort Of dig for
the high priced commission that ac.
cording TO its own confession has
done almost nothing up to date but
spend money. The last speeches of
Secretary Taft and chairman Shonis
are veritable apologies for the lack
of progress made. The report of
the consulting engineers intimates
as plainly as possible that the COM
mission does not know It's business
and has been proceeding on the
wrong lines even as to essentials Of
the work that il was thought a week
ago were fixed beyond per adventure
whatever type of canal was decided
on.
The opponents of any canal, and
there are many Of them in Congress
who are afraid to fight the project
as a whole, have been furnished with
just the sort Of excuse for delay that
they wanted and there will be a
fresh canal debate as soon as Con
gress can get around to IT. Mean.
time there will have to be an emer.
gency Appropriation OF from one to
two million dollars for salaries
abov. passed before the holidays
and probably $40, 900, 600 appropri-
ated out Of the Treasury to carry on
the work before the canal bonds can
be sold and the money paid back.
Altogether the outlook is anything
but bright.
Aside from the canal fight the
President is attempting almost the
Impossible in sticking to his deter
mination to force the Esh Townsend
rate bill through Congress. There
was a meeting Of the Senate Com
miltee on inter state commerce this
week at which it developed that five
Republicans and one Democrat we're
opposed to the Presidents position
while four Democrats and three Re.
publ'cans favored il. With this
division on what ought not to be a
party measure but which undoubted-
ly is, there is not much prospect of
harmonious action when the bill
gets into the house.
One evidence Of Uncle Joe Can.
mons ability as a political manager
was shown this week in his annouce-
ment as TO committee places for the
minority. There are seventy-four
Democrats going out Of the House
this congress, and sixly-hve Of them
will be replaced by Republicans.
Now there was much fear that there
would be more than a corresponding
decrease Of democratic appointees
on committees. But Speaker Can.
non said mo" lie went back to
the records Of the ffty-second and
fifty-lhird congress ard found from
the books that Speaker Crisp when
the Republicans we're much in the
minority had let out thirty Of them
from committee appointments.
'But, " said Uncle Joseph, "I will
treat you better than we we're treat
ed. Probably / won't take fifteen
committee seats away from you al
together" Now that was sheer
politics. Speakey Cannon knows
he can do as he wants with tho
House as il is. lie has a big enough
working majority to do 1t. But
there will be fifteen or more Demo
Gratis who will know they arc under
deep personal obligations to him
and we'll, fifteen Of the opposition
may come in handy almost any time.
IL is now announced that Cen.
Corbin will not be made chief oil
staff m the rapid series Of promo
tions and retiremcnts that will fol.
low Gen. GhaGee's retirement in
February. Maj Gen. John G..
Bates will hold that post prior TO re.
urement for age and will be succeed.
ed by Gen. Macarthur, but the