New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-11

DONE IN 1913, TAFT HOPES.
Dickinson to Visit Zone in Effort to
Speed York.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington March 1o.-The President has
indicated 10 Jacob NJ Dickinson, the Secre-
tarv Of War. that he wants him TO visit the
Panama Canal Zone at the earliest possible OPP
porturity and arrangements will be made
whereby Nj Dickinson can go TO the isthn1us
very early in his administration possibly this
month The President has further indicated TO
NJ Dickinson that he hopes he will be able TO
devise means whereby the work can be so facili-
fated as 70 effect the completion of the canal by
January !. 1913 which will be within Mr. Taft's
term as Chief Executive.
Although the President has clearly indicated
70 Congress, both in his inaugural address and.
later in his conferences with Congressional lead
es that he believes the national legislature would
he wise 70 avoid efforts 10 enact legislation other
.fan \ tariff law at the special session. he has
5eviated from that policy far enough TO urge
REPRESENTATIVE Mann TO press the enactment OF
his bill which deals with the control of the
canal Zone and confers on the President author
administer the affairs of the canal and the
canal Zone
President Taft believes that in the War De-
-a-+nent everything is well organized mat
the details can If necessary, be left for time 10
the supervision of the General Staff but that
work on the Panama Canal must be under the
Immediate supervision of the Secretary Of War
and 7.
himself with its every detail at the earliest OPP
nortunity An important consideration in the
selection Of Mr. Dickinson for the portfolio OF
War was his extensive experience with railroads
e,d similar large enterprises. and Mr.. Taft be-
REYES that in order 10 administer the affairs
NJ the canal with the greatest effectiveness Mt.
dickinson must go TO the isthmus and make
himself thoroughly conversant with every phase
Of the canal work
In urging the completion of the canal by Jan
nary 1913 President Taft realizes that he Is
demanding a great deal from the engineers ID
charge, but he is so anxious that the work shaI
be finished during his term, and he has sucn
confidence in the benefits which viii accrue from
the completion of the canal that he IS deter
mined to put the engineers on their mettIe- con-
fdent that they will exhaust every expedlent &c
finish their task and yet will not be driven to
sighting auv part Of the work Colonel Goe-
that's the chief engineer has all along declined to
promise the completion of the canal before
1918. but an examination of his testimony before
-hs committees of Congress reveals the fact that
he has always been careful TO avoid saying that II
could not be finished before that date and while
The chief engineer has declined TO make any
predictions Of the fulfilment Of which ne was
net perfectly certain, he has apparently given
Mr. Taft reason 10 believe that the opening OF
the canal by the date mentioned is not without
the realm OF possibility.
It will hardly surprise those familiar with
President Taft's profound respect for the law
that he should regard the passage Of the Mann
hill. OF a similar measure, as essential, and that
he should hold that an exception 10 the policy
Of avoiding general legislation should be made
IN This instance The chief end Of the Mann
bill il viii be recalled, is to confer on the Fresi
dent legislative authority TO govern the Canai
Zone an authority which. under the circum-
stances. he cannot escape exercising ana Tor
,r-,,icS nevertheless he lacks proper authority.