The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-08
rHa CANAL coMMrssroN.

Commission now in session. Five Americans. one Englishman. one Ger. man, two Frenchmen and one Dutch. man make up the list. and if each shoult talk in his own tongue 1t would be ar interesting crowd. They should by al means have gotten a Russian into ths game and have a complete job of 1t. But the object of calling this com. mission together is the significant thing about it. After all the months that have passed, after all the millions that have been paid out, after ali the talking and boosting of what Is being done. and after all the brilliant promises and pledges that have been sent abroad, the commission Is called to begin at the beginning and decide if we are to have . lock canal or a sea level one. In plain words. although so much time has passed and so much money spent the kind of canal to be constructed has not been agreed on.
 Twenty-Five years ago. or more. a commission of French engineers recom- mended the sea-ievel plan, but all know the miserable fasco which ended the De Lesseps job. Only last year a com mittee of American canal engineers submitted a report favoring that plan. They claimed that such a canal could be constructed in ten or twelve years at a cost of about $2S0,o00,0oo. That was little better than guess work. and we doubt if 1t will be endorsed by those who make thorough investigation and study of the work. There are those who assert that It would cost fivs times as much money and time Co conslruet canal of the kind proposed. Now the commission is to start afrssn, as 1t were. and decide what sort of canal we whether these engineers will risk an estimate on time and cost or not.
 Nor is this the only or most dis" couraging feature of the canal busi- ness When 1t was decided that we must have a canal at Panama the work was begun with as little preparation or care as a farmer would begin dig ging a ditch in his field. Apparently it was not considered necessary 70 do anything but send laborers down there with the necessary implements and tell them to dig dirt" These two words were the slogan of the enthusiasts, most of whom had no more conception of what was to be done than a native of China has. They are making the diIt ffy," we have been told until the tale has become monotonous and no one pays attention to it
 Nor has the drawbacks stopped here. With all the science and opportunities at their command those who were re- ally at the head of the scheme seemed absolutely ignorant of the climatic and sanitary conditions existing on the Isthmus. and apparently had no knowl- edge of what was necessary to secure the health and protect the lives of those who were to do the work Men were sent down there absolutely in the dark as to the conditions prevailing in that region and of what they would be call ed on to contend with.
 Now, after so much time has elapsed it is found that a great blunder was made in sending men there before the place was prepared for them. Disease and death have prevailed to such an extent that Encouragement and discop- tent have become common and all-pre- vailing. Again 1t Is found that we must begin at the beginning and prepare the way before anything can be accomp- Iished. The canal zone must be cleans ed and sanitated and made safe for human beings throughout its entire ex- tent. Not only that but houses. res- taurants. schoolhouses and places of amusement must be provided so that the white men who care to risk their lives there may be better satisfied
 As to the merits of a sea level canal or one with locks and dams. opinions have differed all along and will con tinue to differ. If an open way could be cut from ocean to ocean, and could be kept open at reasonable expense it would undoubtedly be best. but those who profess to be informed bring up so many reasons why this Is impossible that the great mass of the people can form no opinion of what is best. Will the present assemblage settle anything? :? We confess to not being very hopeful on the subject.