New-York tribune., 1906-06-23
THE PLAN OF THE CANAL.

| The vote in the Senate on Thursday may be
| accepted as finally determining the plan ac-
cording to which the Panama Canal is to be
constructed. 1t is TO be n high level lock canal,
with a maximum elevation Of about eighty five
feet above sea level, and with huge dam Of
earth at Gatlm and enormous sets of locks
there and at Pedro Miguel. The arguments for
and against such plan have been voluminous
and authoritative, and they have been fully
set forth in our columns that repetition of them
now would be superfluOus Some of the most
competent engineers of the world have been
and still are arrayed on each side of the ques
non. and i'm such circumstances it would be
preSumptuOus TO say that either side is indis-
putably right or indisputably wrong. The rea-
sOnable view is that the government would
have been justified in adopting either a high
level or a sea level plan; that canal could be
successfully constructed and operated on either
plan and that the question was to be decided
on grounds of economy and expediency. rather
than on any of the universal, immutable and
indispensable truths of physical science.
The quizzcally inclined philosopher may, IN
deed find theme for comment in the variations
of intention which have occurred in this matter.
First Panama was selected as the site of the
canal chiefly if not solely because it was the
one place at which a sea level canal could be
made. and the sea level plan was unhesitatinGly
adopted. After De LeSseps and his company
went 10 smash the plan was changed and lock
canal was aimed al. After our acquisition OF
the unfinished work the sea level plan was
taken up again with much enthusiasm. En-
gineers administrators and legislators all
for il. With a change of chief engineers the
lock plan came to the fore again. Then an ad-
visory board Of engineers was appointed, and
it recommended the sea level plan. Its report
went 10 the Canal Commission, which reversed
its Recommendation and advised a lock canal.
Then the President referred the whole matter
10 Congress, with the result which has now
been reached II is a pretty bit of fate's pro-
verbal irony that we are to build a lock canal
on the very site which was chosen expressly for
a sea level canal. and which probably would
never have been chosen had it not been sup
posed sea level canal was 10 be built
! SO much for sentiment and for academic re-
Election. The practical point is that at last the
choice of plan has been definitely made and
has been made by Congress- 10 which it prop
erly belonged, instead of being left 10 the Presl-
dent We have frequently hitherto urged the
desiTability Of having a prompt and final de-
cision reached, and have held that upon the
basis of investigation made and expert opinions
given Congress was as competent 10 reach the
decision now as it could reasonably hope TO be
in the future. We have also held that it would
he unjust and unsatisfactory to leave the de
cisiOn 10 the discretion Of the President under
the Spooner law, and that Congress should make
an explicit choice 1t is cause for congratula-
ton that this course has at last been pursued
There viii not be universal agreement as 70
the wisdom of the choice which Congress has
made but even those who most resolutey dis
sent from it will concede that there is strong
technical and expert authority for it. and that
the Judgment of the President and his asso-
sibility for the work, and of Congress which
must provide the ways and means therefor
should be Of commanding weight in determin-
ing the question