The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-11
BY Ernest G. Walker.

Mail Special to the Advertiser |
WASHINGTON, December 2l.-The |
impression grows in Washington that
by no means the least important of |
President-elect Taft IS tasks this win
ter is to be his visit to the Isthmus of |
Panama to inspect the canal. In spite |
of all the hurrah talk about splendid !
progress in building the big ditch and |
about the early date when it will be |
completed, feeling prevails in official
circles here that this is too big project
for the American people to be content
with their customary brag talk, and that
some really reliable information about
prospects must be had
Some two or three years ago when
the Senate and House suddenly decided
to vote for the lock canal, as against
the sea level project, it was well under
stood that practically every man in
Congress was voting in the. dark All
had to take what other people told
them. President Roosevelt did not
want any policy adopted that the rest
less constituency behind him would not
like. He was for lock canal, notwith-
standing the recommendations of for
elgn engineers that sea level canal
was far preferable, and Congress finally
decided to accept the Presidents view
of it.
On the other hand, there has been a
band of carpers in Washington, always
ready TO speak and write gloomily
about the canal. They have predicted
persistently that the present genera
ton would not live to see the canal
completed and all that sort of thing.
Among these carpers are many promi-
nent Senators and members of the
House. Their output of unfavorable
forecasts has made those who want to
know the truth about the canal rather
skeptical. But it has come to be pretty
well known here that only the most
favorable aspect of things is permitted
to reach the public through the regular
publicity channels on the isthmus
Taft Well Qualified to Judge.
Mr.. Taft, however, is probably as
well qualified as any man in public life
to inspect the canal and to pass iudg-
ment upon the present situation there
Washington looks for him to bring back
definite word as to whether there is any
thing serious in the criticism of engi-
neers about the foundations for the
Gatun dam. These criticisms have be-
come so persistent as to be giving the
friends of this administration and the
next some worry. Hints are already be-
ing made of a possible revival of the
campaign for a sea level canal
Of course, at present, Mr.. Taft has
no official connection with the govern
| ment and he travels to Panama as a
| private citizen. But every possible OPP
portunity will be open to him to inves-
| tigate. He will have with him engi-
neers to pass Judgment on the evidence
presented. These engineers will have a
point of view Independent of the en-
gineers on the isthmus in charge of
the immediate operations.
| Many things that critics of the
canal emphasized are already coming
true. Senator Teller OF Colorado said
some years ago that the original $780,
| 100000 voted for the construction of
the canal would fall far short Of the
| necessary amount, and that the aggre-
gate cost would be nearer 100000, 900
| Senator Hale of Maine, chairman of
|
been of the opinion that the ultimate
cost of the canal would be half a bill
lion dollars.
There has already been spent about
| $100,000,000 on the big ditch, and that
| apparently is not half what the gov
eminent will have to pay. If it
should happen that Congress authorize
| sea level canal, the enterprise will
| oh 1oI L IL
is believed at the Capitol that if Mr.
Taft is convinced the locks and dams
| will not be secure and can not be con-
structed sufficiently staunch to with
stand earthquakes, he will say so when
he has returned to the United States.
Escort of Two Fine Cruisers.
The President-elec will be accompa-
MED on his trip to the isthmus by two
of the newest and best cruisers in the
American Navy-the North Carolina
and the Montana. Every precaution
is to be taken to ensure his safety.
He will start for Panama after the
electors have assembled in the several
States and cast their votes for him. If
anything untoward should befall after
that time and before his Inauguration,
it is very uncertain what course the
government could conStItutlOnally pur-
sue in the election of President as
Roosevelt's successor. For that rea-
son there is more anxiety among the
constitutional lawyers, at least, over
Mr. Taft forthcoming trip to Pana-
ma than there was when President
Roosevelt disregarded another time
honored precedent and left the soil OF
the United States to visit the canal
zone. For if anything i'll had befaller
President Roosevelt there would have
been a Vice President to have stepped
into his shoes.
1t is said that as President, Mr.
Taft will not leave the United States