Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-16
rhe-F1,ture of the Panama Canal


have a request from a correspondent
,o write something on the prospective
value or the Panama canal and IL the
immense amount Of money now being
Epent down there viii ever be returned
20 the United States government IN elth-
er meal or malt"
only get information from public
Journals, but such as / have VIII en-
deavor TO state here in as few Wor0S as
necessary ett1 A.
There was a long and acrimonious DIS
pute between the advocates OF the MICA
raugua canal and the one hnally CHOSEN
namely the Panama canal Inc Nlea-
rauxa route was the longest, but the sec
ton had a bad reputation as an eaFko-
quake region - - -
m was urged that the United states
Government could buy what the FLehSn
people left at Panama on the bargain
counter. q the price OF $to,veAooos aIo
that the old French machines would 90
the work without the purchase OF many
others 10 finish the French scheme IL -
now understood that the French leaNlhss
are next 10 worthless and that ule oa a.
gain counter purchase was poor m
Conrress dictated the choice OF lock
canal in. preference to a straight cut
ditch: and Il is now suspicioneo tna1
,6a iock system viii be abandoned; Tor
the obvious reason that Il is too risky, 10
hoist ocean liners and ships Of war; away
up In the air. bx reason OF these expeh-
sive basins. and then let them down 70
the sea level, By allowing the water %
sscana from these lofty basins. and raise
them again BY ''renllings."
To nv mind this scheme was always
nreDosterous. for while II might 90 foI
canal boats on the upper lakes, IL couIo
NOT be expedfent Ia an interoeean canal
because OF its vastness. The hdications
ar now that the canal. will eventuate ~
a straight ditch. from ocean 70 ocean ano
that these mistakes and experiments Nhl
soak I'D untold millions OF money thaI
might have been saved by wisdom eno
foresight. Z
Tbree hundred millions Is the lowest
sum now talked about, but the chances
are that half billion viii disappear pc
fore the canal is opened TO the puohc
travel
Tbe suez canal was capitalized and
shares were sold IN the open market
II Ia understood that English stock
holders own the majority OF these snares
ana that the canal returns good money TO
IT'S owners. but there Is a distinction and
a difference ~ between ownership BY q
COTu0raIlOu w AA41A%-e
this government. ownership by the Uni
ted states.
The toll prices at Panama VIII be high
IL the government makes enough money
10 nay the interest on its bonds and
keep I'D repairs, but IL Is intended TO DC
also a monument of successful enterprise
as well as a paying investment, so we
must recoIlect that national glory comes
high. when counted in dollars and cents
and we are living in an era OF wasteful
extravaeance with tax payers money
As weehave adventured into foreign con-
Quest we need a short cut to Hawaii and
the Philippine islands. and our visionary
legislators have gone wild on the cana
as a feature Of our foreign conquests or
the eastern hemisphere Coal Is the ex-
pensive item in fitting out great wal
vessels and ocean liners. To go around
Cape Horn was an expensive sea voyage
We can bank up coal IN Hawaii and thus
save the purchase Of coal from foreign
nations after the canal is opened .-...
After the ditch is dug and open IL viii
be a convenience and short cut to the
Orient, but we may set It down In oui
ledger that there viii be coolies OF money
sunk and we may at last be thankful II
the stealage Is no worse than it is now
expected 10 be. -.-
Congressmen make junketing trips &c
Panama now. Some day It may happier
that you dear. reader can go down and
see where the money sunk out OF sight