Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-10
SENATE DISCUSSES CANAL.
Kittredse, Foraker and Teller Fear
That Mistake Has Been Made.

+. Washington, Feb. 9.-The entire
question of the type Of canal that
should be adopted in the construction
Of the Panama canal was before the
Senate today, Senator Kittredge,
chairman of the committee on inter-
oceanic canals, Senator Foraker and
Senator Teller all declaring that they
believed that a mistake had been made
in adopting the lock project
The discussion grew out Of reports
nv Kittridge on the bill increasing the
limit of cost for the canal to $50O,0OO,-
900 and authorizing the secretary of
the treasury to issue bonds to that
amount. He said his committee had
decided that the measure should be
considered by the finance committee
an he reported it back with that rec
ommendation. Mr.. Kittredge took oc-
casion to say that the canal commit
tee disapproved of the proposed issue
of bonds and he read statement OF
the expenditures on account OF the
canal, showing that OF date there has
been s110.964.4 6S.
Senator Kittredge said that while
the engineers Of the canal had orig
inally placed the cost of lock canal
at $t39, 0O0, 900. they had now increased
their estimates to s4O0000,000. whereas
It had been estimated that sea level
canal could have been built for $40
600, 600 Mr.. kittredge said the lock
canal had not progressed so far that
it would not be possible now to adopt
the sea level waterway would have
been preferable from an economic
standpoint
Eittreige said that the minority oi
the board of consulting engineers had
pledged their professional regulations
that the cost of the lock type of canal,
exclusive of sanitation and expenses
of zone government would not exceed
$139, 100000.
Kittredge said that in his judgment
the experience of the American engi-
neers had demonstrated that the sea
level canal could have been constructed
for $247, 100000. The sea Level propose
ton he said, was a matter of digging
and in that class of work the greatest
success had been accomplished.
"Haye we progressed 50 far in the
construction of the lock canal that We
cannot now turn to the sea level
canal?" asked Foraker.
by no IncdHS, answered. hltCLcuSe
He insisted that the sea level type
should have been adopted at the be-
ginning.
II want to say, in this connection"
said Foraker. that was influenced To
change my support from the Nicara-
qua canal to the Panama canal be-
cause l supposed that we could build
a sea level canal at Panama and that
we could not build one at Nicaragua.
Everything that has occurred IN coll
nection with the canal has caused me
to regret that action. Teller said that
he had also supposed that when the
change was made from the Nicara-
guam to the Panama route nothing
less than a sea level waterway would
be undertaken. He had always pre-
ferred the sea level plan.
A controversy ever the height OF
tides at both the Atlantic and Pacific
end of the canal which was raised by
Curtis, brought forth the statement
from the Kansas senator that the re-
ports OF the French engineers could
not be accepted as of value as they
Did not know what they were under
taking"
They did not" said Teller, land
want to say that they knew as much
about it as our people--just about.
This remark called out laughter and
Mr.. Teller continued:
Il believe today that you can build
a sea level canal at Panama at less
cost than a lock canal and only sea
level canal will be of value to the
world. Another advantage Is that it
will not he in danger of destruction.
which will always be feared With Il
lock canal"
After further discussion and with
out disposng Of the canal question,
the Senate passed to other subjects.