The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-12-07


II transportation In all freight be-
tween the eastern and western sea-
boards and 81 VIII greatly Increase tnat
trade by reason Of the reduction in It's
cost Then. III we are 90 nave world
canal. and NJ we are anxious thai The
routes OF .hc worlds trade shall be
through the Panama canal, we must
recognize that We have an active COM
petitor In the Suez canal. Tnen. too.
isthmus-hy the tehuantepcc reiroad
and by other railroads and frcight
routes in Central America 90 che At
In am these cases the question wheth-
err the Panama canal is 60 be used and
its tonnage increased viii De deter
mined mainly by the charge Tor ~
use. My own impression - that the
tolls ought not to exceed 81 per net
ton. ON January I. 1911, the tolls IN
the Suez canal are to be Z francs %
confines for one ret ton by Suez canal
announcement which g. a modification
OF Danube measurement. dollar
ton viii secure under the figures
above. gross income from the fanama
canal OF nearly S7.0O0.O0O. The cost OF
maintenance and operation is estimated
Co exceed $4,000. 600. Ultimately, OF
course. with the normal increase IN
I trade. the income viii approximate the
interest charges upon the lnNestmcnt
ON the whole. 7 should recommend that.
within certain limits. the President be
authorized 90 fix the tolls OF the canal
and adjust them 90 what seems 20 be
commercial necessity. The INQUIRIES ai-
ready made OF the chief engineer Of
the canal show that the present con-
sidcration Of this question Dr. necessary
I iu order that the commerce OF tne
world may have time TO adjust itself
TO tho new conditions resulting from
T tho opening Of this new highway.
The next question that arises is as
/ 20 the maintenance. management anu
I general control Of the canal after its
i completion. lt should DE promised that
I it is an essential part OF our navy es-
/ tablisnmcnt To- have the coal OH anu
r|fN fNrnH
d pair shops. conveniently located with
D reference Go naval vessels passtns
/ through the canal. row. IN the gov
+ eminent. Tor naval purposes. is 20 un-
I dcrtaSe 90 furnish these convenicnces
I 20 the navy. and they are convenienoes
T equally Required by commercial vessels.
I there would seem TO be strong reasons
I why the government should take over
and include I'm IT'S management the
I lurnisuiur. not only 60 the navy. but TO
the public. dry dock and repair shop
facilities. snd the sale Of coal. oil and
other ship supplies.
Tho maintenance OF lock canal Of
/ this enormous size in sparsciy pOpu-
I lated country and IN tine tropics. where
T the danger from disease is alWaNs pres
7 ent. requires large aud complete and
] well trained organization with FUN p0-
. lice powers. exercising the utmost care.
The visitor Co the canal who is inn
I pressed with the wonderful freedom
d from tropical diseases on the istlImus
. must not Dee mislccd as TO the constant
. vigilance THAI rs needed Go preserve
I tHiS condition. The cast machinery OF
the locks, the necessary amount Of
. dredging. the preservation Of Tire banks
or the canal from slides, the opera
ton and maintenance OF the equipment
or the railWaE-Wiil an require n force.
not. Of course. TO be ifkcued i'm any way
. to the present orga nizatiOn for con-
. structou. but skilled body OF men
. VINO can Keep iu On state of usefulness
lHiF great instrument OF commerce.
SHcn an organization makes 10 easy 10
include within IT'S functions the furnish
ing or dry dock. fuel repairs and sun
nlJ facilities 90 the trade Of the world.
I These viii De more essential at the
lsthmus of Panama than they are AZ
Port said or Sucz. because there are
no ocpots Tor coal. supplies and other
commercial necessities within thou
sands 81 miles OF the isthmus
Another important reason WHY these
ancillary duties may well DE undertafS X
en- by the government is the opportuni-
] tl Tor discrimination between patrols
or the canal that rs offered where pri-
Late concessions are granted FOR tho
furnishing OF these facilities. Moth
ing would create greater prejudice
against tine canal than the suspicion
tnHt certain lines of tra fife were faN-
2red in the furnishing of supplies or
tNal tne supplies were controlled bv
amy large interest that might have n
motive FOR increasing the cost of the
use or tHc canal 30 may be added that
the termini are not ample enough TO
permit the fullest competition I'm re-
srcct o. the furnishing OF these facil-
iues ana necessities to the world s
trade even if DO were wise TO invite
sutn competition and the granting OF
the concession would necessarily. under
these circumstances. take on the app
pearance of privilege or monopoly.
. cannot close this reference to the
canal without suggesting as "a wise
amendment Co the Interstate com
merco law provision prohibiting i'm
fcf-state commerce railroads from own
INK or controlling ships engage i'm tire
trane through the Panama canal be-
Co save the people of the Emitted States
the benefits OF tine competition in trade
between the eastern and western sea-
boards which this canal will De con-
sfruCted 20 secure.