The Detroit times., 1908-12-18
RAILROADS REAL
ENEMIES Of THE
CANAL
ROOSEVELT is AWARE OF CON-
sPiRAcY, SAYS WELL-kNoWN
WRITER-FAIReANks CHARGED
WITH LEADING CANAL coTERiE.
BY ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

WASHINGTON. Dec. ls-On the
sharp heels Of the discharge of l6
inch gun Is a bad time to consider
the effects OF the shot Now when the
smoke has blown aside. the dust set
tied, II can be discerned without the
aid OF glass that the Panama canal
message did great good. The jar OF
II precipitated a great deal OF canal
information that would otherwise have
not transpired.
There are some matters OF canal
kind which the people as sharehold-
ers In the country ought to clearly un-
derstand. From the beginning there
has existed a conspiracy TO defeat the
canal. Also the conspiracy was never
more vitality venomous than II Is at
this moment, and all on principle
that, Just as II Is never too late 10
mend. SO also Is 1t never too late 10
destroy.
Who are the eonspiraters2
The railroads-the railroads and
those thirty-odd senators and more
than one hundred house men who have
been marked with the railroad brand
Mr.. Roosevelt knows Of this con
spiracy, has always known OF II, as
indeed has every other gentleman ON
what might be styled the Washington
inside.
Mr.. Roosevelt charges Vice Presi
dent Fairbanks with being at the head
OF this canal coterie, and believes that
the Fairbanks indifference to the sue
cess OF the Taft ticket In Indiana, the
vice presidents own state, was bul
an element OF what mean work the
conspirators are about.
What objection have the railroads
to the canal?
They think 1t will hurt their bust
ness, bear" their stocks. And so they
fight II. and have fought II for roundly
40 years. They have maintained a
lobby at Washington against the canal
They have elected representatives
chosen senators for no other purpose
The best part of their forces are In
congress today.
In the old time, before Mr.. Roose'
welt took the White House bits in his
teeth and started the canal In spite OF
all the railroads might do. war on the
canal was waged, as 1t were, from the
flank. No one, not even railroad
senator, dare declare openly against
the canal.
The need, indeed the necessity, of a
canal. had been agreed upon since a
day when Raleigh told Queen Eliza
beth that the nation that held Panama
held the key OF the world.
The conspirators did not come out
in front and fight. They frittered away
time. prepared delay, delay, delay. by
see-sawing over route.
Did the true friends OF the canal
the honest men In house and senate
declare for the Panama route, the
highbinders OF the railroads began al
once to agitate for the Nicaragua
route, and vice versa.
Thus were the years wasted. Mr.
Roosevelt, remembering the Greek. cut
the Gordian knot by one slash OF
downright policy and the canal was
begun.
Now, as Roosevelt's term Is abour
to expire, the railroads and divers
other anti-canal influences-and the
latter term includes every first-class
power Of Europe. not one without a
secret foot In Washington--have perk.
ed up hope and renewed their treason
able assiduities.
What these rascals aim at Is "in-
vestigation." That means months OF
time wasted-muddy months, during
which, for canal injury and railroad
good. liars and villifers will be given
opportunities to becloud the credit, be-
smirch the reputation OF everybody
connected with the great work
All this nonsense talk OF the "impos-
sibility" Of digging the canal, all these
assertions Of enormous back-breaking
cost, are no more than the fulmina.
lions OF persons with private interests.
and other canal foes, meant to stay,
II not wholly cripple, the canals con-
struction. II Is that. since he sees
through the black strategy Of the
World and those others In the plot,
which caused Mr.. Roosevelt In his
message TO declare so vigorously
against an investigation.