Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-06-26
TYPE OF CANAL FOR PANAMA
Failure Of Congress to Decide Would
BE Embarrassing.

The failure Of congress to deter
mine the type Of canal to be built
across the isthmus Of Panama would
cause embarrassment. II nothing more.
Failure would be due entirely to the
deadlock existing between the senate
and house, a deadlock that could not
reasonably be broken in the closing
days Of the session. Had the two COM
mittees having Jurisdiction over this
matter acted in good faith and given
the canal bill the prompt, careful con-
sideratiOn to which it was entitled,
this situation would never have arisen.
and this perplexing question could
have been disposed of weeks, II not
months, ago. Instead Of getting down
to business the senate committee
wasted the entire session in discon-
nected hearings; the house committee
did nothing. Now, as congress Is
about to adjourn, the canal question
comes to the front, and the situation Is
such that nothing can be accomplished.
The president has it within his
power, under the Spooner law, to de-
termine the type of canal. and a short
time ago it was believed that Mr..
Roosevelt would assume the RESPONSE
bility If congress shirked it. The
president favors the lock canal. But
some of his friends while agreeing
with him, are endeavoring to persuade
him not to settle this question, but to
allow it to go over until the next ses-
sion, so that congress, and not the
executive, will be responsible. These
friends point out that II the canal
should be built. by order of the presi-
dent. and everything should work out
satisfactorily. all well and good. but II.
after the work begun, or after 1t was
completed, If some fatality should &C.
cur the blame would be heaped upon
the president. These men do not want
the president to run this risk.
II left to decide for himself, the
president will in all probability order
the canal commission to proceed with
the construction of lock canal but
the pressure of his friends is SO great
that he may take their advice and let
be very disappointing.
Chief Engineer Stevens testified a
short time ago before the congress
sional. committees that work on the
canal has now reached a stage where
1t is necessary that the type of canal
ch no OF nA fs he
declared progress will be slow, for 1t
would not be practical to proceed on
the assumption that a lock canal is to
be built, and later be instructed to
build canal at sea level There is
of course, some work that can proceed
that will be of value. whichever type
of canal is decided upon, but unless
! there Is a decision a great portion OF
the present season will be wasted.
Congress makes a great mistake in
not settling this canal question, and
there is no plausible excuse for the
failure. There has been an abundance
OF time; full opportunity has been
given for the collection of all the facts
to be considered in determining upon
the type of canal, and every facility
has been afforded for putting through
canal bill. The blame for the mud
die rests upon the interoceanic cana
committee of the senate and upon the
Interstate and foreign commerce COM
mittee of the house. Both senate and
house are partly responsible, but pri-
mariIv the blame helOn0a IN tho fvvf
committees.