The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-26
STUDYTHE BIG DITCH.
SECRETARY OF WAR DICKINSON
TO PROBE THE CANAL.
Proposes to Secure First Hand In
formation By Making Visit to
the ISthmus; Work to Be Com
pleted in Four Years, Is the State
ment of Colonel Goethals; Taft
May Follow Rocsevelts Example.

Washington, March 23.-Secretary OF
War Dickinson is to study the Pana
ma canal at close range, and this
middlc-westcrn lawyer will need all mis-
probing and assimilating capacity fol
the task Ii is said TO be his desire
to be second only to his chief il
knowledge of actual canal conditions
The Panama work is recognized by
Mr.. Dickinson rs one of the chief
matters of Importance in the admins
tration of his department.
President Taft has said nothing about
the time when the canal will be com
plctcd. but from men who have been
with him or the isthmus and in close
counsel in Washington it has been
ascertained that the president hopes
The water way may be completed be-
fore he leaves office four years from
his month.
The country is hardly prepared foI
such rapid work. For long time
the people were doubtful whether the
canal would be dug; then they put
HE date fifteen years ahead; and
finally on the promise of the engineers
they began to hope for its compile
ton in 1918 Now the prospect of
canal ever would be dug: then they put
sibIe of realization two years earlier
than the engineers prophesied.
Taft Depends on Goethals.
Next to the Philippines the canal is
of greatest interest to President Taft,
ANY accident on the isthmus which
would obstruct the work or eopardizc
its success would be regarded by him
a. severe blow personally and as
president. He is leaning on Colonel
Goethals. who has worked steadily and
all of whose promises have been full
filled. 1t is believed that the chief
engineer has intmated to Mr.. Taft
that the obstacles were not as great
as first pictured and that the end may
come in 1913.
Secretary Dickinson has kept up the
pace in the war office that he set dur
ing the first two hours he spent in
Washington before taking the oath
of office. I'm those two hours he man
aged to eat breakfast, change his
clothes, confer with the president, take
the oath. have an enforced pho
tograph taken and arrive at the cab
met meeting ten minutes ahead of
time. Suggestion to Mr.. Dickinson
that it would be well for him to visit
the canal zone was not needed. The
Ia. L..
while the date for the visit has not
been set it will be soon.
Doubters Cease Criticising.
Few changes are expected in the of
fetal positions OH the isthmus. The
doubters and the opponents of tn,
lock system seem to have been turned
from their desire TO predict disaster
The recent visit by Mr.. Taft and the
board of civilian engineers and the
reports that they turned in have had
their effect in every hostile quarter.
Although each is new to his present
duty and is busy gathering up the
threads of the work. the president an.
the secretary of war are in frequent
conference over questions pertainin:
TO the canal. Colonel Goethals ha
been 4 party to the conferences and his
quiet confidence rather than any speci
fic promises he will make have lie,
to the Washington belief that two year
may be cut from the time allotted 70
the completion of the task.
The confidence of Colonel Cocktails i
said to be chared by Majors Sibert ant
Gaillard, who are associated with him
When the colonel is away one of hi
subordinate officers takes complet
charge of construction, and the arm,
officers. men who are inclined at time
perhaps to be too critical of their fel
lows, arc Il unit in declaring that n
better three men could have been sen
TO the isthmus than Cocktails, Siber
and Gailard
Colonel Goethals is quick an
cautious man. This combination @
in an engineer. In none of the wor
with which he has been connected ha
he sacrificed safety to speed The fac
that he was willing to increase tn
height of the Gatun dam beyond TIN
limit believed to be necessary fo
safety is proof that saving of tim
was not his first considerations
Dickinson's Visit May Be Long.
Secretary Dickinson may remain i
the canal zone for some time. H
wishes to obtain a knowledge of con
dtions there second only to that O
Mr. Taft and the engineers. His de
sire is to get such full informatio
that as cabinet advisor he can b
of real assistance to man who La
had the work on his mind for year
President Roosevelt went to Panam
aud his trip was the cause of much d.
plause on the one hand and of con
plant on the other Many Of M