New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-09
POWER FOR PRESIDENT.
Il Nep Canal BiU-Mr. Taft Er-
plains S25, 600, 900 Estimate.

Washington Feb. s.-f a bill introduced by
Senator Kittredge to day should become law
the President would have practically absolute
control Of the Panama Canal The bill author
ICES him TO place the work in the hands of either
an individual commissioner or a commission
composed OF seven members, and in case the for
rner course is followed, the commissioner is 10
have all the powers that the seven would have
in the latter event. The President is to pre-
scribe the compensation until Congress provides
for It. He is also authorized to appoint civil or
military engineers or 10 select persons for any
other class of work in connection with the canal
and all are placed under the direction and con-
troi Of the President
Secretary Taft appeared before the House
Committee on Appropriations to-day to explain
the appropriation OF 25,0O0O00 which the 18th
milan Canal Commission has asked to have In
cluded in the Civil Sundry Appropriation bill,
now under consideration. The Secretary was
accompanied by Chairman Shonts of the 18TH
milan Canal Commission. D. W. Ross, the canal
purchasing agent; ]. B. Bishop, secretary to the
commission. and R. r. Rogers, general counsel
TO the commission.
Much Of the discussion before the committee
concerned the proposed canal contract. and Sec
rotary Taft expressed the opinion that the public
generally prefers the contract system. as 1t be-
leves the government can do work cheaper IN
that manner. However. the appropriation for
the canal will not be affected through the fall
ure to grant a contract, the provision has
been made in the bill that the money is to be
available for the canal work regardless Of
whether the government does the work itself or
lets II out to a contractor.
The proposed appropriation Is desired chiefly
for the completion OF the equipment on the 18TH
mus and as the government purposes furnishing
m EXPLAINED
by the canal officials that tho allowances should
be liberal
AT the hearing it was said that under the per-
oentage system in the contract now under con-
sideration the contractor would not get a per-
centage on the cost of supplies equipment,
but only on the estimated cost of labor neces-
sary to complete the canal. In this amount
would be included the clerical labor, well
the wage of the men actually building the canal.
A statement made that the cost of labor
had been estimated at S65,OO0OOO. on which
basis ". J. Oliver would receive S4.3S1,0OO from
the government in case the contract TO be
awarded to him on his bid of 6.75 per cent.
Neither Secretary Taft any Of the canal
officials discussed the question Of whether the
contract will be awarded to Mr.. Oliver and the
contractors associated with him. The hearing
the canal item will continue tomorrow,
when several of the commission officials will
give further details concerning the estimates.
Chairman Shonts to-day expressed himself
unQualihedly IN favor of building the canal by
contract. He said that the great advantage
accruing therefrom would be immediate results.
Contractors he said, have solved the labor
problem. They can get what they want. and
only get what is left. Then again, in
const citing the canal they could bring into
play their vast combined experience, skill and
organization, and this necessarily would affect
the completion Of the work much sooner than If
matters were allowed to go on as they are"
Mr.. Shonts said he was much surprised TO
read the statement that Chief Engineer Stevens
had indicated his intention to resign should the
work be done by contract He said that Mr..
Stevens had always favored the contract plan,
and only recently had written him commencing
the idea in the strongest possible terms. The
building of the canal by contract said Mr..
Shonts. could not possibly interfere with MT.
Stevens, because his authority would he
preme. and the contract so expressly provides.