Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-05
President TAFT'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
CONTINUED From Page Eleven.)

undoubtedly tie found helpful in the
solution Of the difficult problem they
have in hand.
The incoming Congress should
promptly fulfill the promise of the Re-
publican platform and pass proper
Postal Savings Bank Bill. 1t will not be
uDwfse or excessive paternalism. The
promise to repay by the Government
will furnish an inducement to savings
deposits which private enterprise can
rot supply, and at such low rate OF
interest as not to withdraw custom
from existing banks. 1t will substan-
TALLY increase the funds available for
investment az capital in useful enter
rrises. 1t will furnish the absolute Sc
r.,rlty which makes the proposed
scheme of government guaranty Of de-
posits SO alluring without it's pernicious
results.
/ sincerely hope that the incoming
Congress will be alive, as it should be,
20 the Importance of our foreign trade
and of encouraging it in every way
feasible The possibility of increasing
this trade in the Orient, in the Philip
pines and in South America are known
to everyone who has given the matter
attention. The direct effect of free
trade between this country and the
Philippines will be marked upon our
saIe of cottons, agricultural machinery
and other manufactures. The neces-
sitv of the establishment of direct lines
of steamers between North and South
America has been brought to the at
tention of Congress by my predecessor.
and by MIR. Root before and after his
noteworthy visit to that continent, and
I sincerely hope that Congress may be
Induced to see the wisdom Of a tenta-
tive effort to establish ich lines by
the use of mail subsidies.
The Importance which the Depart
ment Of Agriculture ard OF Commerce
and Labor may play in Kidding the
markets Of Europe Of prohibitions and
determinations against the importa-
ton of our products is fully understood.
and it is hoped that the use of the
maximum and minimum features of
our tariff law to be soon passed will be
effective to remove many Of those re-
strictions.
The Panama canal will have n most
important bearing upon the trade be-
tween the eastern and the far western
ly increase he facilities for transport
tatiOn bctwepl the eastern and the
western seaboard, and may possibly
rsvolutionize the transcontinental rates
with respect to bulky merchandise. 1t
will also have most beneficial effect
to increase the trade between the
eastern seaboard of the United States
and the western coast Of South Amer
lea. and, indeed, with some of the i'm
pOrtant ports on the east coast of
South America reached by mail from
the west coast. The work on the canal
Is making most satisfactory progress.
The type Of the canal as a lock canal
was fixed by Congress after full con-
sideration Of the conflicting reports of
the majority and minority Of the con-
sulting board, and after the recommen-
dalton Of the War Department and the
Executive upon those reports. Recent
suggestion that something had occur
red OIL the Isthmus to make the lock
type Of the canal less feasible than it
was supposed to be when the reports
we're made and the policy determined
on, led to q visit to the Isthmus of
n board Of competent engineers to ex-
anime the Gatun dam and locks which
are the kew Of the lock type The re-
port OF that board shows that nothing
ms occurred in the nature Of newly
r0-ealed evidence which should change
tho views once formed in the ORIGINAL
discussion The construction will go
on under most effective organizati ton
controlled by Colonel Goethals and his
fellow army engineers associated With
him. anI wiz certainly he compile ted
tArl,' in Tho nnvt ADMINISTRATION. IL not
before
Some type of canal must hn CON
sttuctcd. The lock type has been So
ieCted. We are 1ll in fovnr &C having
At blilt as promptly 9s presiblc we
must not nov. therefore keep M
IRE IA tho roar of the agents whom
we ha.vo authorized to do our work on
the Isthr,us. We must hold up their
hands, and speaking for the incom-
inc administration. 7 wish to say that
7 propose to devote all the energy pos
rihle and under my control to the
pushing Of this work on the plans
which have been adopted. and to stand
behind the men who are doing faith
ful hard work to bring about the early
completion of this, the greatest con-
structive enterprise of modern times.
The governments of our dependen-