The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-17
CANAL INFORMATION
SECRETARY TAFT APPEARS BE-
 FORE SENATE COMMITTEE.
He States That the Great Panama
 Canal Should Be COmpIeted
 in, Six Years From Next

Washington, Jan. 16--Secretary Taft appeared before the Senate Committee on Inter oceanic Canals today, and gave that committee information concerning the project and to offer suggestions for legislation.
 He gave a complete review of the conditions at the canal site and quot ed information he had received from various officials connected with the work. He expressed the opinion that the canal should be completed within six years from next July and that its ultimate cost would be approximately three hundred million dollars. includ- ing the purchase price.
 The proposed widening of the locks was carefully explained by Secretary Taft. He asserted that with the locks widened to 110 feet, a steamer of 1OS feet could easily pass through. The largest ship this government is plan- ming to build will have a beam Of but 95 feet The increased cost of the locks. MT. Taft estimated. would be about five million dollars. In his talk to the committee, Secretary Taft at various points brought out the diff faculties that beset the commission in It's administration. These range all the way from trouble with the Pacific Mail Steamship Line, because of its failure to furnish rough steamers, to labor difficulties. He also spoke of the com plaints by the Panamians that there is a bad odor to the water that is serv- ed them through the new works at Panama, as one of the small, yet an- moving features of the work.
 In the matter of steamship trans portation facilities on the Pacific Coast the Secretary said, owing to their in- adequacy, the business of the railroad had fallen of one half since the gov ernment took possession, and it was a question in his mind whetheT the gov> ernment should not engage in the steamship business on the Pacific in orr der to retain the Panama route now existing and keep the Isthmian busi- pee or some other route. Tt may be Q question" said the Secretary, "of saw ing the income for our steamers on the east coast by running considerable risk on the west"
 Secretary Taft gave out considerable information concerning the prices paid for labor on the canal and urged that there be no reduction in the wages paid to skilled laborers in spite of the fact that according to his estimate they were receiving in pay and priv iliges from 50 to 50 per cent higher | income than they could earn In the l United States. Secretary Taft gave il
 
 all would cause serious labor difficult l ties Even with skilled labor wages
 at the present standard, he said, there "as recently a strike upon tte refusa | of the Commission to increase thu wages and a force of men sufficient tt | run sixty-fve steam shovels was de | pleted to a force sufficient to run onll | thirteen.
 Senator Flint put a number of ques | tions to the Secretary as to the lan' controversies on the Isthmus. the cos l of sanitation and the advtsability o | the government running the Ttvol ! Hotel. In connection with the las ! named project, the Secretary though ! 1t quite necessary for the governmen
 to operate the hotel. He said with | smile that--its bar had been remove and there ought to be no further com plaInt from the native business people laAA 1AaGG an respect to that trade Tn