The Washington times., 1906-05-25
MINORITY CANAL
REPORT IS READY
Great Contest in Congress
May Begin Tuesday.
PRESIDENT IS DETERMINED
If No Law Passes Roosevelt Will Pro-
ceed With Construction of
Lock Ditch.

The report OF the minority of the Sen
ate Committee on Canals will be pre-
sented TO the Senate. IL is expected, on
Tuesday. Much interest is taken in II
because of the expectation that, either
at the present session or later. there
will be a great contest in Congress be-
tween the advocates of the sea-level
ditch and those who favor a lock canal
The impression IS now fixed that there
will be no decision by Congress at this
session concerning the type of canal.
The President insists that IL no law on
this subject passes he will proceed with
the lock canal, under the provisions of
the Spooner act, which makes appropria-
tions based on estimates for a 9O-foot
level lock canal The President has also
indicated TO callers that II Congress
should pass legislation for a sea-IeveI
canal he would veto IL
Sea-Level People Hopeful.
Despite these statements. the sea-level
people are not giving up their fight.
They hope to win at another session or
in another Congress il not now. II /.
pointed out in behalf Of this view that
the comm ssion might go right ahead
working on the lock canal plans for two
years yet, and then the change would
ne made TO the sea-level scheme without
losing anything that had been done. The
change would merely require more dig
ginG.
But the minority Of the Senate Com.
mittee proposes. in the coming report in
favor OF the lock plan, 10 settle the
question If possible for all time 1t is
working with great care on the report.
which will be signed by Senators Mil
lard, Hopkins. Knox, and Dryden. and
possibly Senator Simmons. though II is
hardly expected the last named member
will stand for this report.
The report Will be a discussion Of the
whole problem, especially of the com
mercial possibilities of the canal. ON
this point the minority will point
out that there Is wide difference OF
opinion. many people believing that the
canal Will not I'm many years be a pay
ing investment. and that its creates,
tonnage will be derived from the coast
ing trade Of The United States rather
than from inter-cOntinental or world
trade. That the canal will be OF great
value to this Government is not ques-
toned by anybody.
The minority will insist further that
the sea-level canal that # proposed
would not be better than a lock canal,
and. in fact. that II would not be so
good for practical purposes. The minori-
ty will boldly insist that the sea-levcl
plan that is under consideration wouId
not be so safe nor so efficient as a good
lock ditch.
A Poor Lock Canal.
The minority insists that after all is
said the sea-Ievel canal is a lock canal. |
and at that the poorest kind of a lock
canal 1t must have one great lock. at
the Pacific end. This lock must be OF
the type that locks both up and down. |
When the tide raises the level of the
water In the Pacific above that Of the
canal. the lock must be operated with |
one set of gates; when the tide in the
Pacific is low, and the water in the canal
Is left higher that in the Pacific. the /
other set of gates much come into play |
TO prevent the water running in too
strong a current toward the Pacific /
Locks intended to meet this situation
are the most difficult and expensive 70 /
build and operate. The lock canal Will
include in its length a large lake, TWEEN
ty-eiSht miles long, and affording a
channel in much of its length 1000 feet
wide for the largest vessels. and at no
point less than 500 feet wide Through
put this distance. then. there would be
practically free and safe navigation
The distance which vessels would have
to cover through the narrow limits of
a canal proper would thus be less than
the entire passage from. ocean
10 ocean.
On the other hand, the sea-leveI canal
would be narrow channel the entire
distance; so narrow that some vessels
now building would not be able safely
10 pass in IL
This is a summary OF the reasoning of
he minority. which will be enforced bv
quotation from experience with other
,anals. The danger TO vessels in pass
ng through locks is very small. and does
rot deserve the attention, the minority