The Washington times., 1909-02-09
Kittredge Makes Sensational
Report in Senate of
Growing Costs.
MUST STILL REVERT
TO SEA-LEVEL TYPE"
Considered Most Serious Attack
Yet Made on Roosevelt and
His Policies.
By J. c. wELLIvER.

With the charge that a tremendous
mistake was made in adopting the lock
instead Of the sea-leveI type of canal
for Panama, and that from present es-
Inmates it may he expected the lock
canal viii cost 100000. Senator Kit
tredge of South Dakota, chairman of
the Isthmisn Canal Committee, today
presented to the Senate a sensational
report on that project and the progress
Of the work on it.
The report indicates that the commit
tee hss changed front since the time,
two years ago. when 1t acquiesceG in the
demand for the lock canal 1t is also
construed as the greatest attack yet
made on the program and policies of
President Roosevelt. who assumed the
personal responsibility of the change to
the lock type after the international
board Of consulting engineers had made
a majority report for the sea-leveI plan.
The majority of that board voted for
sea-level. the minority including. how
ever. most of the Americans on the
board, for the lock ditch.
Fight Indicated
The tone and temper OF the senate's
reception of the Kiuredge report today
indicated clearly that a determined at
tack is 20 be made on the whole con-
duct OF the canal business. Senator Xiv
fridge spoke with emphasis and some
thing very like bitterness. He had been
the leader of the fight in the Senate for
the sea-Ievel type, and was only de-
feated on a close vote, after a night In
which President Rooses SIS and the then
Secretary of War Taft used their ut-
most influence and activity 10 line up
enough votes against him.
Todayas developments made it certain
that the Roosevelt Administration viii
go out and the Taft administration viii
come In, with the whole canal question
muddled and befogged, and with the
question Of future policy looming large
and uncertain. The repeated expressions
Of misgiving and uncertainty about the
whole scheme on which the Government
is now working, are condensed into the
Kittredge rep Tt OF today
Other Expenditures
Senator Kittredge showed that $40
001000 has been appropriated for the
canal TO date, and that an of this eE-
cept $4,000. 900. has been used.
The engineering authorities originally
pledged their reputation that the cost
OF the seaIevel ditch would not he over
Sl39. 900. .444 That was at the first session
OF the last Congress Only three years
have passed. The type Of canal. even.
is not get finally decided, and Congress
has not received the estimates Of the
present commission as to ultimate cost.
In January, 1908, the commission gsti-
mated the total cost at $3.50. .00oo00 and
even then the chairman Of the com
mission would not be sure that the work
could be done under $500, .o10 Current
report, said the Senator. Is that the
present revised estimate is $3550g0 ol0.
Appropriations to Date.
Now comes the report in the press
that it ie proposed TO build a break
water At Colon TO cost 100000 more.
III these things be true, the new esti-
mate would be 100000 000, OF more than
twice the first estimates, and 10000. 40
more than the positive estimates for
the cost Of sea-Ievcl canal
Senator Kittredges report was listen
ed 90 with the greatest interest by
almost the entire Senate, and he was
asked many questions by way OF eluci
dating it, The committee was report
ing on The Hopkins bin, 10 authorize
the issue of s50G0go.000 of bonds for
the Panama canal The committee ez-
pressed the opinion that TO authorize
such an issue would amount 10 am
authorization OF Increased cost up 10
that figure, and would therefore be
dangerous. and the buI was rejected.
Replies to Charges
Following todays Cabinet meeting
Secretary of State Bacon made a reply