Evening star., 1908-01-16
BETTER SYSTEM NEEDED
Business Of Panama Railroad Much
Hampered.
SECRETARY TAFT GIVES VIEWS
Information Furnished to the Senate
Committee on Interoceanic Canals.
Completion in Six Years.

ate committee on interoceanic canals to-
day to give that committee information
concerning the Panama project and to
offer suggestions for legislation.
Secretary Taft gave a complete review
of the conditions at the canal site ano
quoted information he had received from
| various officials connected with the work
He expressed the opinion that the cana
| should be completed within six years
from next July, and that its ultimate, cost
| would be approximately $3OO,OOoOOO, IN
Guiding the purchase price.
The proposed widening Of the locks
was carefully explained by Secretary
| Taft He asserted that with the locks
| widened to 10 feet a ste amer of Jos fee,
beam could easily pass through. The
! largest ship this government is planning
| to build will have beam of but ninety
| Ave feet. The increased cost of the locks
Mr. Taft estimated, would be about
$5.OOO,OOO
| In his talk to the committee Secretary
| Taft at various points brought out the
difficulties 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 enough steamers, and to labor diff
| by the Panamans that there is bad odor
| to the water that is served to them
through the new works at Panama. as
| one OF the small, yet annoying features of
the work.
Another Pacific Line.
In the matter of steamship transporta-
ton facilities on the Pacific coast, the
Secretary said owing to their inadequacy
| the business Of the railroad had fallen of
one-half since the government took pos
session, and 1t was a question in his
| mind whether the government should not
engage in the steamship business on the
Pacific In order to retain the Panama
route now existing and keep the isthmian
| business from going by way of Tehaunte-
pee. or some other route. 1T may be a
question" said the Secretary. ''of saving
the income for our steamers on the east
coast by running. considerable risk on
the west
Secretary Taft gave out considerable In
formation concerning 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, accord
| ing to his estimate. they were receiving
| in pay and privileges from so to 60 pei
| cent higher Incomes than they could earn
| In the United States. This estimate has
been placed as high as so per cent. Sec
-etary Taft gave 1t as his opinion that
any reduction at all would cause serious
| labor difficulties. Even with skilled labor
wages at the present standard. he said
there was recently a strike upon the re-
| fusal OF the commission to increase the
wages, and a force of men sufficient to
run s!xty-fve steam shovels was depleted
TO force sufficient to run only thirteen.
Land Problems.
Senator Flint put a number Of questions
| to the Secretary as to land controversies
on the isthmus. the cost of sanitation and
the advisability of the government run
| ming the Tivoli Hotel
In connection with the last-named prof.
| ect the Secretary thought it quite neces-
sary Tor the government to operate the
| hotel He said, with a smile, that its ba1
had been removed. and that there ought
TO be no further complaint from the
native business people. at least in re-
| spect to that trade.
MIR. Taft. in reply to inquiries said the
commission had found that the price
| placed upon land needed for the canal is
| excessive and has had no relation to its
| value for private purposes. That had not
| delayed construction work, however. be-
cause the land is taken and paid for
| afterward.
| The government of Panama had offered
| to give the United States site for a le-
! CATION building at Panama near the new
by the republic. He thought 1t would be
| advisab BILE TO provide legation building
| tnat would properly maintain the dignity
| of the United States in the future wher
| the canal has been completed
Senator Flint of California wanted tc
know II this government could not with
| advantage sell all the land now owned
by the Papama Railroad Company ir
| Panama and not actually used for rail
/ road purposes. in order to relieve the gov.
i har hot q.
| used for improper purposes
| Mr. TAFT thought some of the land
| could be sold. and added that all the new
| leases provide that the premises shall no,
use as saloons. Some of this land would
be needed In the future for the railroad.
| The Secretary said that the water rents
charged at Panama will In fifty years pay
| all cost of providing the water works, the
| improvement of streets and the construc
| ton OF the sewerage system At the end
/ of that period the works will become the
property of Panama.
IF any one doubts the condition of the
streets OF Panama" he added. "I will
refer him to my friend Poultney Bigelow.'
Disease and Sanitation.
He was questioned by Senator Anken,
concerning the lepers at Panama. an6
responded promptly that leprosy Is al
ways greatly exaggerated. citing his ex
perience In the Philippines. When W.
went to the Philippines he said, I'VE
were told that there were from 10000 t.
10000 lepers. We have now $500 leper.
that we know of there. In the last yeal
the number has been reduced to the ex
tent OF 600 by DEATH" At Panama, h,
said. nine lepers were known. and the,
have been isolated ON an island and there
| is no fear on their account.
i They had adopted the policy Of actins
on the advice of the doctors In all case,
of sanitation. as they did not care to as
sumo the responsibility of acting contrar,
to the views of the doctors.
More than that" he said. 'Dr. Gorga
has proved so uniformly successful thai
we have felt justified in taking his advice
in such matters"
i He declared that II Is not SO unhealthfu
to live in the tropics as 1t was formerly
| 1.-The Spanish war taught us and all tn,
world a great deal about how to live II
the tropics" he said.
Legislation Needed.
Senator Kittredge asked Mr.. Taf
whether he had any recommendation
.or new legislation for the Canal Zone.
The Secretary replied that he though
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