The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-06-14
SENATE WARNED.
Hopkins Shows Menace in Sea Level
Canal.

4
The most notable and impressive
speech on the Panama canal that has
yet been heard in congress was de-
livered Friday afternoon by Senator
Albert J. Hopkins of Illinois. SEN
ator Hopkins is a member of the COM
ynittee on interoceanic canals.
For three years past he has earnest
ly Investigated and studied the COM
pick problems appertaining to the
great water way which will connect
the Atlantic and Pacific. He believes
that the present management of the
enterprise is the best that it has ever
had that President Shonts of the COM
mission is superb executive officer
and Chief Engineer Stevens the peer
of all canal diggers.
He believes, moreover, that Messrs
Shonts and Stevens are correct in
their view that lock canal ought to
be constructed not only because of
the saving of time and money that
will be effected but because for all
practical purposes it will answer the
demands of the worlds commerce
| As member of the commission
Senator Hopkins has attended its
daily hearings throughout the present
session of congress. He has listened
to the Testimony of the numerous ex-
perts who have been called to state
their views concerning the type of
canal best calculated to meet the re-
quirements of commerce
| Senator Hopkins reached the con-
clusion long ago that the construc-
ton of sea level canal would delay
| the completion of the enterprise for
many years and involve the govern
ment in expenditures which can not
even be estimated at this time. 1t is
a significant fact that nearly all of the
substantial members of the commits
sion, including Senator Knox of
Pennsylvania, share Senator Hopkins
convictions on this subject. 1t is
equally significant that the majority
for sea level canal was obtained
Through the votes of Senators Platt
of New York and Carmack of Ten
nessee, neither of whom had attend
ed single hearing of the commits
sion and presumably was not familiar
with any of The testimony adduced.
Senator Hopkins endeavored to dis
close to the senate the reasons which
led the minority of the committee on
Iinteroceanic canals to sustain the
recommendations of the canal COM
mission for lock canal, and that he
made profound impression upon the
senate was clear to everybody who
heard the speech.
A number of senator's who were
disposed to accept the conclusions of
the majority said after Senator Hop
knis concluded that they would fur
ther. Investigate the subject and that
they would vote for lock canal if
they found the Illinois senator's facts
and. figures accurate. There is no
doubt on this score, because the facts
and figures were obtained from offic-
ial records.
Senator Hopkins is conducting
dashing campaign for lock canal
and is gradually gaining recruits from
among senators who heretofore have
been regarded as inhexible advocates
of a sea level canal.
Senator Hopkins said that the
Spooner act contemplated the con-
siruction of lock canal and that the
president approved of this. The
house entertained a similar view, he
said, and if the senate voted in favor
| { sea-level canal it would put the
senate in opposition to the admins
.ration. If the senate can agree with
the house, he said, most unfortunate
conflict will be avoided.
Senator Hopkins gave historical
resume of various plans for canal
on the isthmus of Panama, beginning
- $50 under Philip V of Spain. For
200 years his successors abandoned
the idea, but it was revived under
President Bolivar of Venezuela, who
commissioned an engineer to inves-
tigate the practicability of the
scheme. The senator referred 70 va
rious concessions for a canal granted
since 1888, including the De Lesseps
CONCESSION.
| "Sea level is an attractive name"
said Senator Hopkins. at would real
| ize the dream of ancient navigators
who spoke of the Straits of Panama.
If such canal could be constructed
within the limits of the reasonable
resources of the government and
within period of time that those
who are now engaged in it would see
Tits successful completion think
there would be little opposition to a
lsea-level canal Such canal, how
ever, would cost the government of
the United States from s6O0,000,000
to ss0O,0OO,00O and would take at
least twenty-five years to construct"
|
Republican Business Management.
AS an evidence of the splendid bust
ness and financial management of the
Republican state officials, it is pointed
out that the legislature of 1906 made
the following specific appropriations
out of the general fund, without adj