The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-10-04
MORGAN PREDICTS FAILURE.
Alabama Senator Declines to Go on
Canal Excursion.

Birmingham, Ala, Sept. Is
Senator John T. Morgan. of Alabama,
hs written letter TO Chairman T. ?.
Shonts, OF the Panama Canal Com
| mission, declining the Irritation 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:
"In your telegram of the 22d in
start you speak of large party
who are to sail with the commission
and the advisory board to Colon, and
are to have comfortable facilities for
making tours Of inspection and exami-
ntion of the canal. IL the matter OF
sightseeing, such facilities will afford
much pleasure. which / regret I am
not prepared to enjoy; but do not
suppose that such surface inspection
of the appearance Of conditions in
Panam would give me any data from
which could form any Judgment as
to the practicability of n lock cnaal, or
sea level canal, or the preference
due to either plan, or as TO the cost,
or the time required for the compile
tion of the canal on tither plan.
ST could not wisely, intelligently
or Justly give an opinion to any COM
missioner or TO any member of the ad-
vlsory board as to the possibility Of a
dam at Bohio, one hundred and sixty
eight feet above the level of the sea,
that would supply canal at ninety
feet above sea level; or as to dam 1T
OF below Gatun, that would supply a
canal at thirty feet above sea level; or
IS to a dam at Gambpa that woalc
control tue waters of the Chagres
River; or as to a possible tunnel to
either ocean to carry off these hocd
waters.
ct could not Inform the able, coEr-
agsous and distinguished chief of ths
hygienic service IN the canal zone
whether, if We should food all the
breeding places Of the stegomyia fas-
ciata with great lakes, we wucld not
increase. them a Thousand fold along
the margins of the great bodies Of
fresh water, il the tropical under
growth that would spring Up around
them in few hours.
II must say that [ distEust the ex-
pected advantages 20 Congress or TO
the country Of such an excursion. or
the value Of any opinion that may be
formed On great engineering prob
lens, 1y a body of gentlemen who
arc non professional and must form
their conclusions from surface ap-
pearances
"Since the ratification of the Hay
Varilla treaty, which opposed, l
have done all that l c2nld, and much
more than I thought could be Of ad-
vantage to the country, to sustain the
| Government in is purpose to con-
ssruct canal at Panama. Yet l have
not believed that success coa'd crown
their efforts, even in their IDCst
costly and desperate form. You may
ind the key to unlock the barriers
that nature has interposed at Panama.
If you should be so fogt@nate | will
applaud your genius aid courage,
will vote to provide you with every
reasonable authority and power to ac-
com olish your task and to meet your
tremendous responsibility.
"In the effort to answer your friend
| ly invitation with perfect 1rankness,
| ii have said anyth ng that jars npon
your sensibilities, l have not so iu-
tended it and would regret it. | beg
to assure you of my sincere respect,
and to say thac I will rejoice with you
in the successful completion Of the
great work in yonr charge. Sincerely
yours.