Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-02-08
CANE BACK AT TAFT.
General Manager Steamship Com
pany Resents Statements.
CANAL OFFICIALS CAUSE BLOCKADE.
Government Management Panama
Railroad Held Up Ccmmsrclai
shlpments--No Connection with
TranscontinentaI Lines.

Washington, Feb. 1.--Robert P.
'gchwerif, general manager Of the Pa
cifc Mail Steamship Company was
before the senate committee on inter-
oceanic canals Wednesday. His at
tention was called to a statement made
by Secretary Taft criticIsing the ser
vice between Panama and San Fran
cisco for its part in contributing to
the congestion Of freight at Panama
In reply he said:
Secretary Taft's statement was
made either through malice tending to
injure an American industry, or
through ignorance Of the causes OF the
difficulties Of which he has complain
3D."
Continuing, he said that the Pacific
Mail Steamship company operates nine
regular steamers on the Pacific coast,
which steamers sail on schedules 1ap-
proved by Honduras, Mexico, Nicara-
qua and other countries whose ports
are entered. The schedules provide Tor
connections with the steamers OF the
Panama Steamship company from New
York by means Of the railroad across
the isthmus. The schedules require
tae companies to make connections
and exchange freight, said Mr.. Schwer-
IN.
A description Of the conditions Of
tAa isthmus since the canal commits
sion took charge Of the, Panama rail-
way was given by Mr.. Schwerin. He
said that freight had accumulated on
the wharves. all commercial shipments
having been held up by the movement
Of canal materials and the difficulty,
Mr. schwerin asserted, was due to "cul-
nable negligence on the part Of the
managing officials Of the Panama rail-
road and utter indifference to their
obligations as common carrier"
He explained this to some extent by
the statement that the equipment Of
the railroad mad deteriorated greatly
during the two years prior to the sale
OF the property to the United States.
"As soon as control Of the road pass
ed to the United States" said Mr..
schwerin, "the conditions described
hogan to grow worse. The railroad
management cut the wages Of men
working on the docks which caused a
strike and our labor followed. As a
result We are both paying higher
wages than We were before for the
noorest labor In the world. 1t became
The understanding that the United
states Ilad bought the railroad to build
The canal and cared nothing for the
commercial business across the 18TH
mus Commercial business was neg
lacted ana II was said by Secretary
Taft M wallace Admiral walker,
~ sorr,er chairman ~ the commission
snd otbars connected with the building
- ~ canal that commerce was sec
ondarv u he n,ovament n canal ma
tar,a, !, wos that indifference that
s,a,,,s,,. aho,,t ~ ooroos,lor
NJ sSras,'s VA M. ,vr,ha,
- 80 80 ~, 49, As,5 ~
SIPS IN N ~. ~ ~" s,,,. ~ ~ ~
- .oue '. a.' IT. W. e1o en- ~
Aa a ~ Ns.aS.sa. n
W. 49, es 1 ..,,-.aS III, M
toVO, ~ ny ~. -. ~. ~.
LAY. 'nsse = pay. az sa'u sna ~ ~
saSiao MAJ ses w. 80 - y
Avr ionser peilous anu enelo W. -
way ln,s company Uar ellv'0e ueu ~
raSe cnAtsssi Ie Snalss $3.50, MAJ AZ AZ
allroau Voipy nsu 49,. ~, n,
layed tne facinc MAJ sleanlsnip
companys SHIPS Dy iaiiure 70 furnish
tnem WIN coai, as tney were =,
CURED 70 40 unoer . contract' anu
mat wnen complaint was mAue "
superintendent aunt, OF tne railroaol
ne saiu that the iault lay witn nlgnei
omclais. Mr. scnWerin sAio ne nag
resorted 70 every means 70 prins
about improved conauons' even
making q protest 70 the state depart
ment 70 inouee II 70 appeal 70 Fan
anna MI schwerin complained also
that the Panama railroad nad arpitra'
riiy reduced rates rom New fork g