The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-09-22
HURRY URGED
ON BIG DITCH
President Wants Canal Opened at
Earliest PosS.bI. Date.
IRRITATEl) BY THE DELAY
Consulting Boa ID Of Engineers is Told
That Sea Level Waterway Is
Prefd able to Locks.

President IL osevelt is urging in
the strongest tTms the necessity for
q plan for tho construction Of the
Panama canal which may be accom-
plishel in the shortest possible time.
In his recent remarks to the con-
sultirg board " engineers of the
Panama canal commission he said
things regarded OF the utmost import
ance in that cci nection. His remarks
have just been transcribed and trans.
mitted to the hoard in Washington
and General Dl7is, its chairman, has
been authorized % make them public.
The president said, among other
things:
What l am about to say must be
considered in the light OF suggestion,
not as direction. have named you
because. in my judgment, you are es-
pecially fitted to serve as advisors
In planning the greatest engineering
work the world has yet seen, and I
expect you to advise me, not what
you think want to heart, but what
you think ought to hear.
'Tlere are two or three considera-
lions which l trust you will steadily
keep before your minds in coming to
a conclusion as 10 the proper type
of canal hope that ultimately 1t
will prove possible to build a sea
level canal-such a canal would I'm.
doubtedly be best in the end if feast.
BILE, and feel that ono Of the chief
advantages of the Panama route is
that ultimately a sea level canal will
be n possibility. But while paying due
heed to the ideal perfect!bility OF
the scheme from an engineering stand.
point, remember the need of having a
plan which shall provide for the i'm.
mediate building Of canal on the SAT-
est terms and in the shortest posi-.
bic time. II to build a sea level
canal will but slightly increase the
risk then, Of course, it is prefer
able.
But II to adopt the plan Of a sea
level means to incur hazard and
brings on delay, then 1t is not pref
cradle. If the advantages and disad.
vantages are closely balanced l ex.
pect you TO say so. l desire also TO
know whether II you recommend q
high level multi-lock canal, It will be
possible after 1t is completed to turn
It into or substitute for 1t in time a
sea level canal without interrupting
the traffic upon 1t. Two OF the prime
considerations to be kept steadily in
mind are:
81. The utmost practicable speed |
OF construction.
"2. Practical certainty that the !
plan proposed will be feasible and |.
that It can be carried out with the /
minimum risk.
The quantity OF work and the |
amount OF work should be minimized /
90 far as possible.
The delay In transit OF the YES.
sells owing TO additional locks viii,
be OF small consequence when com.
pared with shor, ening the time for
the construction Of the canal or d.
min!shing the risks in its construe-
ton. In short desire your best
Judgment on all the various dues-
tons tc be considered in choosing
among the various plans for a com.
paratIvoly high mul1lock canal for
a lower level with fewer locks and
for a sea level canal.
Finally. l urge upOn you the neces-
sity OF as great expedition in com.
ing to a decision a. Is compatible
with thoroughness In considering the