The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-17

Secretary said that the rate of rents charged at. Panama, would, in fifty years, pay all cost of providing the water works, the improvement of streets and the construction of the sewerage system. At the end of that period the work will become the prop erty of Panama.
 "If anyone doubts the condition of the streets of Panama" he added. "I will refer him to my friend Poultney Bigelow," He was questioned by Sem ator Ankeny concerning the lepers at Panama, and responded promptly that leprosy Is always greatly exaggerated, citing his experience in the Philip pines. When we went to the Philip pines" he said. i've were told that there were from 20.06O to s0.000 lepers. We have now $500 lepers that we know of here. Tn the last year the number has been reduced to the extent of 800 by death. At Panama, he said. nine Iepers were known and they have been isolated on an island and there is no fear on their account. They adopted the policy of acting on the advance of doctors of sanitation as they did not care to assume the responsi- bility of acting contrary to the views of the doctors. More than that" he said, ''Dr. Horace has proved so uni formly successful that we have felt justified in taking his advice in such matters"
 He declared that it is not so un- healthful to live in the tropics as It was formerly.
 "The Spanish war taught us and all the world a great deal about how to live in the tropics he said.
 Mir Taft in reply to inquiries said the commission had found that the price placed upon lands needed for the canal is excessive and has no re- lation to it's value for private purposes. That had not delayed construction work, however, because the lana IS taken and paid for afterwards.
 The Government of Panama had of- fered to give the United States site | for A legation building at Panama near the new Government building now be- l ing erected by the republic. He | thought it would be advisable to pro- vide a legation building that would properly maintain the dignity of the | limited States in the future when the | canal has been completed.
 | Senator Flint, of California, wanted to know if this Government could not with advantage sell all the land now owned by the Panama Railroad Con- many in Panama and not actually used | for railroad purposes in order to re- | lieve the Government of owning prop erty there that is used for improper | purposes. Mfs IdIt NA | the land could be sold and added that all the new leases provide that the premises shall not be used for im- moral purposes. including the use as saloons Much of this land would pc needed in the future for the railroad' Senator Kitteridge asked Mir. Taft whether he has any reason for new Legislation for the canal zone. The Secretary replied that he thought there should be an appeal from the courts or the zone to the Supreme Court or the United States but with that exception
 he had no recommendations to make
 The construction of the canal has been completed. he thought there should be a comprehensive form or govern lment devised for the zone, but ne saw
 no reason for that now.
 '@rhis year has satisfied me-, said Mir. Taft, "that a contract for doing
 the work on the canal Is impractica"
 ble."
 He added that any firm able to sup
 ply the large amount of money needed
 to carry on the work would demand
 such a large profit as to make it in-
 advisable to enter upon it. The com
 mittee adjourned until tomorrow, when
 Colonel Goethels, chief engineer of the , canal work, will be heard