The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-04
CANAL IS NECESSITY
COLONEL. GOETHALS TALKS UT
 PANAMA's FUTURE.
Co,.picsion 0f Ills Dam HP Dra" siuch Commerce Now Going Through Sues Canni--'
 South Will Ueneflt.


 San Antonio, Texas, Oct 3.-sSpe- ctal. )-To the representative of io- cal daily Colonel George W. Goethals made the following statement few days ago while passing through this city on his way to the Necaxa dam m Mexico, where he will look over break in lock.
 "The first thing the American peo- pie should thoroughly comprehend, he said, "is that the Panama Canal IS primarily a military necessity. us construction will save to the national government the cost of maintaining two fleets. The money saved that IL would cost to construct another meet | like the Atlantic fleet is building the canal. The cost of maintaining the canal after completion will De no more than it now costs to maintain l the Atlantic fleet. Now, the people must frankly be willing to admit that the Panama Canal is a military ne- cessity, first of all. When they have admitted this. then 1t behooves them to ask how they can make the ca : nal a great commercial canal that Will bring prosperity to the South tenfoid and be the means of ilcating again our flag on sea-going trade vessels
 There are two thirgs that must be done if the Panama Canal Is to be
  of profit to the people in tolls or in increased trade. The flrs. thing is to . fix the tolls as low as possible. Japan :ts slightly nearer to London by way of the Panama Canal tEan ii is by way : of the Suez Canal Mako the tolls on 1.-the Panama Canal less than on the Suez Canal and trade will be drawn through this waterway. Hong Kong His slightly farther away from London ! by way of the Panama Canal than by way of the Suez Canal, but make the tolls less and if the cost of coal con- sumption for the few additional miles does not eat up the difference, trade from this city also will be sent by way of the Panama Canal instead of Boy the Suez Canal.
 "what the effect of the canal will be on the commercial prosperity or lTexas is something I cannot predict But if this canal Is made a commer- cial canal by adopting the methods l have suggested. then 1t will be impos- Bible to predict how great an increase &n the wealth of the state will result From it's construction. Galveston is Full of foreign vessels carrying our grain. The Panama Canal will help Foreign commerce more than our own sinless we establish on the high seas h fleet Of ships carrying the Ameri- gan flag and to do this we should pass a ship subsidy law at once. Then you will see that Texas will receive xkreat benefit from the canal we are |iigging. The ship subsidy is but a part of the general plan to develop he commerce of the country and of he South"
 Speaking of the governments de- tision to build a lock canal instead bf adhering to the sea-level ditch, Col ;oethals said:
 When I first took charge of the ca- hal 1t was with my mind in favor of
 sea-level canal. but We have all our plans laid now for the construction of
 lock type. and it Is too late to
 hange. Investigation has convinced ne that this Is the better type. If
 he American people would stand for
 he constructing of canal 700 feet vide across the Isthn1us of Panama
 nd then for two smaller canals to parallel 1t. I would say construct
 ea-leveI canal" The cost of this
 hough would be almost inestimable.
 t would be necessary to construct
 uch a type to provide for the care
 f the flood waters of the Chagros ' iver. This spring, when we opened
 section of the canal. the flood wat
 rs of the Chagres poured in and de-
 osited about two feet of sand and
 travel on the bottom of the canal. It
 ,ilI have to be dredged out. What
 ould this amount to if the canal had
 cen a sea-level waterway far below
 he level of the present one. which is
 ut two feet lower than the bed of
 he Chagres river?
 No" continued Colonel Goethals
 we must construct a lock type canal &r allow our organization to go to
 ieces. We are ready now to begin
 york on laying concrete for the flight
 f locks at Gatum. To change the
 lans now would mean to lay off all T lese men. We have 34.0OO men on
 UT payrolls and must keep them em- X loved"
 Colonel Goethals made the state E hent that he would retire after his
 uties on the Isthmus had come to an
 nd 'If I get through with this task will retire for my life's work will be
 nded. I shall have accomplished all
 nat can be expected of any man and
 know no more could"