The Washington herald., 1907-07-14
LAST WORD
ON ISTHMIAN CANAL

What was probably the last written ex-
preston Of the late Senator John Tyler
Morgan with reference TO the Panama
Canal is contained in a letter written by
him to Representative Albert Sidney Bur-
Lesson, Of Texas. and based on an inter
view with Mr.. Burleson. which appeared
in The Washington Herald shortly after
the latter's return from the isthmus in
March last The date Of the letter is
March 81. II was mislaid shortly after
its receipt, and only found again a few
days ago. Mr.. Burleson. who strongly
favors the proposed sending Of a battle
snip feet 10 the Pacific. points out that
II Senator Morgan's voice had been heed
cd the Nicaragua route would have been
adopted, and expresses the opinion that
ia such an event the canal would now
be finished and ready for the passage Of
a feet from the Atlantic to the Pacific
at any time Mr. Burleson was himself
an earnest advocate OF the Nicaragua
route. The Morgan letter follows:
Washington, D. c., March 81, 1907
Hon Albert S. Burlescn.
Dear Sir: venture 10 intrude upon an
acquaintance that, I regret to say Is
scarcely personal, TO thank you for your
statement printed In The Washington
Herald Of this morning.
Il was much gratifed when I learned
that you would visit Panama IN company
with other Congressman, 10 inspect the
canal situa ton. ! felt assured that no
purpose could force you to take a surface
view Of the actual situation. and 70 con-
form your judgment 70 the demand that
the superficial notions Of the President as
TO the canal should prevail against com
mon sense. ! think I may Justly add
common honesty. That Congress should
permit three years 70 pass with an ex-
penditure Of SlS0000.000 without any real
assurance that safe plan had been
agreed upon for the canal. by our en-
gineers. is a matter Of serious national
concern.
The 4,ohio location was abandoned.
after the Spooner law had adopted II. be-
cause Wallace ascertained that the Dor
ings made by the Walker Commission
were AT least misleading, and that loca-
ton was Impossible.
Wallace was driven from his Office for
expressing this terrible mistake.
The Gatun dam was adopted by Stew
ems, on even less definite knowledge Of
the underlying conditions, and forced
upon Congress by the direct demand OF
the President in an official message Ad-
ditional borings made since the Gatun
site was adopted by Congress have evil
IDENTIFY alarmed Stevens and ShOnts, and
they retire in fright from the battle Time
viii prove, If you have not already proven,
that I am right in this solution OF this
hegira OF the great bosses.
Digging pits and further bOrings are
still going on at Gatun, and Taft has
gone 70 Panama 10 inspect them. This Is
how near the government Is 20 a safe
foundation for these enormous OUTLAWS.
already expended. The plan is, r. fact.
more in doubt than il was three years
ago. I viii not discuss a plan. or plans.
that may be practical I did that in re-
ports and speeches I made in the Senate
that produced no effect, and may never
do so
Your intimation that the Ga:un dam
VIII be abandoned is already a foregone
conclusion, with many. Roosevelt's plan
is 10 make the dirt fly through the
Presidential campaign OF 1905 and 10 fIl
the eyes OF the people with It. until they
cannot discern the real situation. You
have given the country an eye opener
In the facts you have 50 clearly and eau
t!ously stated. The people VIII follow your
suggestions. and. in 1908. VIII take the
canal into their own hands, by selecting
a President who will have some one TO
serve besides himself and a selected com
binatiOn.
With great respect. sincerely yours,
JOHN T. MORGAN"