The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-14
TIE BATTLE or TEE LEVELS
Mia, Il Mr.. raft Going to Dsr

u MI. Teft SoAne 70 DeT
TO II EprroR or THR 6uN-6ir: A
news item from Washington under dat
of May 10, cent out by the Canal Commits
sion. quotes Colonel Cocktails a. saying that
the excavation Of the Panama Canal will
be completed by August l. 1911 II will
be remembered that the canal through the
Culebra Cut has been altered In the plans
from 200 feet In width to 800 feet In order
to provide more digging and delay the day
when that feature Of the work must stop.
The look type was adopted because the
minority Of the Board Of Consulting Engf-
neers did not believe excavation possible
at q rate that would have completed . sea
level canal In less than twenty years. There
fore the Commissioners. excepting Admiral
EndIcott, felt that they should be APP
plauded in recommending . big dam. which
has a variety Of questionable features, as
shown by the oficisl testimony Of the army
engineers who are building It: and . set
Of locks. q, to the safety OF the plans for
which there is q difference OF opinion be-
tween Majors Haedins and slbert. to form.
In conjunction with the Pacific locks and
dams. which have had to be moved be-
cause they had no foundation, . lake
which owing to the water flow In the re-
Gently shown up assures is q pure chance
as to whether the water will rise. to eHpe-
dite completion. So the army engineers
obediently started In on the programme.
placing their faith in Divine Providence to
cease It's regular practice OF causing earth
quakes on the Isthmus that ope assures.
and must be barred. according to Major
sibert. to give hope Of stability in case the
dam stays where built and the assures do
not carry away thu water.
So on August 1. 1911. the digging. which
has so far exceeded expectations and which
improved dredges and modern methods
would still further expedite and which con-
tinuous day and night work at the present
rate OF over IS. 900. 0c0 yards a year would
increase TO over i0i 900. 900 yards q year.
will stop. Then II at that time MIR. Taft has
persisted In closing his ears to the calls for
q commission that shall consider the matter
Ia the light Of the history OF the work and
the euds desired 10 he accomplished, and not
solely from the point Of view OF regulations
to be sustained and reports to be white
washed. the world will behold . peculiar
spectacle, a sight that will make US the
lau ching stock OF the nations and endsnger
the political party that allowed Ito leaders
to provide It..
On August I. 1911. unless an important
parsonage has meantime reconsidered the
digging will perforce under the lock plan
! stop short. but the problematic lock and
dam construction and the 6lling Of the lake
are not due 10 be ready for three years and
three months thereafter. according to Col
onei Goethals's hopeful estimate, taking no
account OF slides. assures. earthquakes. or
din erences OF opinion In his own camp: or
four or Ave years longer. according to En-
| gineer Hunter. who bhilt the Manchester
locks. Surely this is = remarkable vista Of
a situation where the lock type was adopted
to save time
ously stands for the charge Of a he rhi-
noceros and uproots the whiskers OF the
African lion. could bravely pass over q
report Of q majority board which included
all Of the worlds greatest canal building
and operating engineers. In favor Of . report
OF q minority. not one Of who's sisners
had ever had q days experience In build.
ing or operating a ship canal. The 500 is
not a canal: It 10 simply . lowl lift single loci
on good foundation In q region where earth
ouakes are unknown-a lock that OWNS
to. the difference Of levels IL unavoidable
Mr.. Roosevelt. when every assertion OF the
: aid minority had proved erroneous ano
the adoption 6f sea level the only course
of logic. did not lack the nerve to saddle his
successor with a new board Of whitewash
engineers, whose report was known by
every engineer In the country the day their
names were announced.
What Of Mr.. Taft? Will he blind him.
self by heredity to the requirements OF
shippers and the facts that are laid before
him and persist In permitting the present
disgraceful plan until August !. lsiIf Or
will he exercise his own independent analyt-
lea, faculties that have brought him to his
high position and appoint an engineering
or Senatorial committee that shall constder
all the facts. testimony and evidence, and
thus insure the completion OF . sea level
canal In far less time than the most hopeful
lock promise?
NEW YORK. May IS.