The Washington herald., 1908-01-17
Taft JuStifieS Predictions Of
Senator Kittredge.
TO COST $25O,OOO,OOO MORE
RapIdiiy of Excavation He Ascribes
as Cause Of Increase over Original
Estimate-WOHld Take measures to
Hold Trade said 10 he Falling on.
Grows JOeose Anent Sanitation.


mittee on Interoceanic Canals. Albert B. /
Kittredge. Senator from South Dakota /
had the satisfaction yesterday Of hearing /
his many predictions, made from time to /
time while legislation relating to the
canal was pending, that the estiPates /
on construction We're TOO low, amply
yindlcatcd by an official authority.
Secretary TAFT announced before the /
committee that the cost Of the canal /
would exceed the original estimates by /
probably SZJ0O00,000.
The other members of the committee /
who had become familiar with Mr. Kitt- 1
redges views as - the cost from their /
repeated iteration in the past, turned in
/ the direction Of the chairman, who /
biushed his Acknowledgements.
Secretary Taft explained the deficit Of 4
Ell ,000000, which Congress has been ad- I
vised viii confront the canal commission /
this year by saying that the work had /
progressed so much more rapidly than
had been anticipated that there was not
money sufficient 10 carry forward the
work al the rapid rate until the end
OF The fiscal year.
The Secretary announced, in reply to a
question from Senator Flint, that IN all /
new leases being executed by the gov
ernment the stipulation was made that the
premises should not be used for saloons .
or Tor immoral uses.
Secretary TAFT was accompanied by
Civil Commissioner Blackburn. former /
Senator from Kentucky, and by Col /
GoethaIs.
Finished in six Years.
Secretary Taft expressed the opinion 4
thai the canal would be completed i'm /
about six years from July J. l9S. He /
explained the necessity Tor q deficiency
appropriation by saying that the CON /
struction work had gone on much faster
than IL had been estimated it would when .
last years appropriations were estimated |
for. He said the present appropriation I
would be exhausted about February l.
The matter Of the possible deficiency
rad been brought to his attention last
September. With a suggestion from Col /
GoetbaIs that the only way to avoid 4
deficit was 20 slow up on the work Of 4
making the dirt hy.
But ] advised MIN not 10 abate the
energy with which the work was being
prosecuted said the Secretary. for /
felt certain that Congress would gladly
meet the deficit
The amount Of excavation for Culebra /
cut had increased in gratifying proper /
tions 1T is nine miles through .he back /
bone OF Che IsthmUs. said the Secretary i
. 'and We thought at one time the compile I
tiun Of that work would measure the time
required 20 construct the canal Tie ex-
caFatlon IS now abOu, 100000 cubic yards 4
g month, and there are 10000 cubic F.
yards yet 10 be cXcavated tn the Culebra
cut At that rate 81 would require about
three years 10 complete. bur il has been /
/ decided not 10 complete the Culebra cut \
/ before the work on the Gatun dam and
locks are completed. so that when that /
work IS under way the excavation at 4
Culebra viii slow up"
plan Wider Naval Vessels,
The Secretary strongly recommended the /
widening Of the locks 10 10 feet. 10 meet
/ the recommendations Of the navy general /
board for accommodating the vessels of /.
the future navy The Delaware is 10 have /
@ feet beam, and q recommendation is 10 /
be sent 10 Congress for the building Of /
95-feet beam ships. The widening of the
+ locks, he estimated, would increase the
cost 10 per cent over the amount orig /
inaily estimated which was about So 009.- /
ooo. The total increase over original esti- /
mates for the canal work would not ex-
coed S25o.o01o00, and in his opinion would
really fall below that sum.
The Secretary explained that all the
bonds Of the Panama Railroad had been
bought and retired. and that the road
paid fair dividend on its stock last
year. about 10 per cent. The steamship
lines were being operated at a loss j. /
l. Bristow, former Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General who had iuVesti-
gated business on the west coast. had
reported 10 the Secretary that the bust
ness east had fallen off one-haIf in the /
last year and Secretary Taft suggested
to Congress the wisdom Of taking some
steps 10 retain the current Of business.
either by establishing a line OF steamers
on the Pacific or IN some other way 10 I
prevent the business from being diverted /
PanamHnS are Unreasonable.
"Our relations with Panama continue +
friendly" said the Secretary. but the
merchants Of Panama complain that our
use Of a commissary hurts their business.
7 think the complaint is unreasonable.
They never were so prosperous or had SO
much business before,
The Secretary OF War expressed the
opinion that the labor on the isthmus was
about 50 per cent better paid than labor
IN like occupations in the United States
There are few workmen on the isthmus
who have been there a year or who will
remain a year" said Mr. Taft. There
is something in the absence Of rational
entertainment; something in the high
temperature which begets nervousness
and makes The men grow tired after q
time. The labor on the canal Will cost
more, in my judgment, than it would
have cost by private contract
Senator Flat inquired what progress
had been made In acquiring private prop 4
erty. Secretary Taft laughed. He ex- /.
planned that Panamans wanted from 200
to 500 times the value of their lands. sim
ply because they thought the government Il
would pay it. The government had been /
able to get the necessary land TO meet
the present needs, Of canal construction.
Quotes Bigelow as Authority.
The Secretary was most entertaining h
when he told of the steps taken by the Il
commission IN the interests of sanitation Il
we built the waterworks system for the Il
cities Of Panama and Colon. paved the 1
streets, and dug sewers said he,
Some Of the members of the committee
seemed to doubt the pTOpTiety of this ex- II
penditure
Gentlemen if you doubt the wisdom Of II
this policy as means of sanitation " II
said the Secretary. laughing II would re-
fer VOu Ia fhe highly entertaining ana
highly lurid description OF conditions by
my friend Poultney Bigelow."
Senator Ankeny. Of Washington. want II