The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

our country and vii greatly increase the
facilities for transportation between the
Eastern and the Western Scaboard, and
may possibly revolutiouiZe the transcOn-
tueutal rates with respect TO bulky
merchandise. ft viii also have most
beneficial effect 10 increase the trade be-
tween the Eastern seaboard of the United
States and the western coast OF South
America. and indeed. with some Of the
important ports on the east coast Of South
America reached by rail from the west
coast The work on the canal IS making
most satisfactory progress The type oL
the canal as a lock canal wss fixed by
Congress after Il fun consideratiUn Of tine
conflicting reports of the wa ibrity and
minority of the consulting board. and aft
or the recommendation Of the War De
partmcnJ and tho Executive upon those
reports Recent suggestion that some
thing hsd occurred on tho isthnUs to
make The lock type of the canal less fea-
Siblc than IL WAS supposed 10. I've when
the reports were made ard the pol'cv ue-
termined on. led 20 a visit 90 the isthmus
IF a board 81 competent engineers te ex-
anime the Gatun dam and locks, which
are the KEY of the lock type. THO report
of that board shows tis-t nothing has oc-
c-rred in the raturc Of newly revealed
evidence whicd should change the views
once formed in the original discussion
Tire construction viii go on under most
effective organization controlled isy Col
Goethais and his fellow army cngiueers
associated with him. and will certainly
BE- completed early in the next Jdminis-
trati0n If not before.
Ca-sI Wcvk To Re Pushed.
Spsi.r type of cauaI must he coi.str.! c.e,l.
Tire lock type has been selected. We arc
all in favcr Of raving ii built as prompt
~ as possible We must not naa. there
fore. Keep mp a lire in the rear &C the
agents whom We have authorized TO do
cur work on the isthmus. We urlst hold
up their hands. ard sreal-ins for tlio ~
coming admins. alton. 7 wish to say that
/ propose to <-votc an the cnergy. .possibJ-
auG under .ay control 10 the piishiug ci
this wcrk on the plans which have been
adopted and 70 stand behind the men who
are doing faithful bard work 10 bring
about Tire early completion Of tdis thg
greatest constructive enterprise. Of mod
ern times
The governments OF our dependencies
FL Porto Rico and the Philippines are
! progressing as avOrably as could bC
desired The prosperity cf Porto Pic
. continues Enabated The business c3n-
diticns ia the Philippines are not al
that ve could wish taem TO be. hut with
the passage &C. the rev tariff bill per
mitting free trade between thc United
States and TIE Archipelago with sue
limitgtions in sugar and tobacco as shall
prevent injury to the domestic interests
: on those products. ere en- coant on ar
imprsveme.f in business conditions il
f the Philippines and the development
Of a mutually rr1ftable trade betweeT
+ this country and the islands Mem.
time our government in each depeu-
fdency is upholding the traditions Of civi
( liberty ard increasing popular control
which might be expected under American
auspices The work which we are dOine
+ there rebounds 10 cur credit as a nation
/ 7 look forward with hope TO increasing
/ the already good feeling between the
South and the other sections Of the coun
/ try Ny chief purpose is not TO effect q
/ change in the electoral vote Of the South
! ern States. That is a secondary consid
( GRAFTON. Wnat I look forward 10 IS *
increase in the tolerance Of pelitica