Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-02-14
A DIFFICULT PROBLEM.


Experience * very rapidly demon
s~trating to the congress Of the I'0i
ted states that II has IN the Panama
canal one OF the greatest problems the
people Of this country ever had TO
deal with. senator Kittredge. chair.
man OF the committee on intcr-oco-
anic cunais, gave the senate an eye
opener on this point a few days ago,
when he reported the bill to authorize
an issue of Panama bonds to the
amount Of $500. 900. 900. for the pnf-
pose Of completing the work A
heated discussion wa prccipitatod by
the senator when he declared.
This country win have to
abandon its plan to build q lock
canal at Panama, ana ultimately
construct n sea-level canal"
lie made a statement to the senate
IN the form Of q report, giving the
opinion that congress should not I'M
der any circumstances authorize such
a large ISSUE at this time. Mr.. Kit
tredgc recalled the fact that the
spooncr act OF 1909 appropriated
100000 for the purchase Of the
canRl zone rights. and St0,0 GOO. 600 for
beginning the work OF construction,
and authorized the president to build
the caual provided the appropriations
therefor should be made from time TO
time ia the future, mo to exceed in
the aggregate the additional SUM of
$50. 900. 900"
He went on to say that in 1905,
81, 0,000 more was appropriated
for construction and in 1906 nearly
another SO. 000.O 900. lie went over the
various amounts spent by the govern
mcnt on the canal ana IN connection
With II. showing hat the total appro-
priations to date were s170.26ft6S. IS,
and said an OF hat amount presum-
ably win have hoen expended by the
end OF the present fiscal year. Mr
KittrodRc went on as follows
In their report to the president
the board OF consulting engineers
pledged their professional reputation
HAT II the lock type of canal were
adopted the aggregate cost Of COM
plotting the canal exclusive OF santa
tion aud expenses OF government,
not exceed $3.50. 105, 200. and In
statements made TO Your committee
az q hearing during the first session
OF the nft,-ninth congress they guar
antecd the accuracy of their ostl-
mate
As soon as MT klttredgr had fin
reading his report and the sen
ate. at his suggestion. had referred
the Hopkins bin 10 the finance COM
Senator Foraker arose and
asked a few questions. which led Mr
lSiitrcdge To say hat the sca-levcl cu-
according 10 tho original osti-
could bo built for x2f7. Uoo, 600,
and that il was perfectly practicable
10 change the type TO a sea-levol oa
nal now and that probably II would
.ost less than S2iI 000. GOO. n would
merely he q proposition of digging ne
aid
Mr. Foraker said DE greatly Tee
that ne had changed his vote
md cast II ln favor OF "a lock canal
, hen that matter Was decided bS the,
.enat, Furthermore. hc said De he
ievod thai every senator who voted
or the lock canal would live Co re-
irct that vote He said he was in
lucuccd io chance his vote at that
because Dc was be the lock ca
val would be more economical
Senators Curtis 81 Kansas. and
l%overidgc 81 Indiana taking the
side of thc question. called at
rntion Co The difference ct the tides
% the Atlantic and Pacific oceans al
III isthmus aud declared the sea-
evcl canal would never b. practi-
able on that account
Mr.. Foraker and MI Kittredge de-
Ned this. saying the engineers Ncre
To believe that the tides could
Be properly controlled by gates. and