The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-17
WILL GO TO PANAMA
President Has Decided to Inspect
Work on Canal

beverly Mass Ocl. io.--i ieoluShl
Taft will sail for the Isthmus OF Pan
anna November 10 from Charleston,
S. c. He will make the trip on the
armored cruiser North Carolina,
which will be conveyed by the Mon
tana. The president will be gone
about 70 days. He will be about four
days on the lsthmus.
The president had practically given
up all idea of visiting the canal this
year until Lieut-Col. Geo. ge w. Goe-
thals, chief engineer Of the canal,
visited him today and convinced him
that the problem confronting the Off
cials at Panama require his presence
on the isthmus. The president ex-
poets to be able to secure first hand
INFORMATION on a number OF matters
which he will call upon Congress to
deal with.
Some of the problems to be dealt
with in the immediate future are
The extent and character OF the
Notifications; the fixing of tolls for
the transportation of vessels through
the canal; a proposed increase in
wages; the future management OF
the Panama railroad; the form Of per-
manent government for the canal
zone and the regulations of the sale
OF coal at the terminus points. The
government may go into the business
of selling coal itself in order to pre-
vent the possibility Of extortion or a
monopoly
Mr.. Taft had thought that several
OF these questions would not require
settlement for a year or more, but
Lieut-Col. Goethals held matters N
a different light. The question OF
tolls was explained by Lieut-Col. Goe-
thals to be one of the most pressing
for Congress to meet. An Internal
ional conference OF steamship owners
and shipping interests is to be held
in Berlin in the summer of 1911. IL rs
believed to be highly importan, that
Congress should have fixed the rates
OF toll by that time. The canal must
be made to have the tolls meet the
interest on the s400,000,000 invest
ment which the canal will represent.
The date for opening the Panama
canal is set for January II, 1915.
President Taft and Lieut.. Col Goe-
thals believe that II will be complet-
ed and open long before that time.
The recent slide in the Culebra cut
is not regarded as serious.
No specific form Of government
has been prescribed for the canal
zone. President Taft in his execu-
tive capacity is the supreme author
ity. AS such he has been asked to
go to the Isthmus for determination.
Plans for there will come from 'he
army engineers but Mr. Taft wants
to be able to pass upon them with q
personal knowledge Of particular
phases of the situation.
II will be for Congress to deter
mine whether the canal zone shall
have a military or civil form Of gov
eminent The authorities on the
Isthmus at present are strong In
their recommendation for the for
mer. The advocates OF civil gov
eminent with a governor appointed
by the president. or OF even still
more popular form, are pressing their
claims for consideration and hte
problem Of government the president
believes. cannot be too quickly decid-
ed by Congress.
Lieut., Col Goethals reported to the
president that the higher classes of
workmen employed on the canal, the
engineers and machinists IN particu-
lar, are asking for an increase IN pay
in keeping with increases recently
granted their fellow artisans in the
United States. The president mas re-
ceived many memorials on he sub
ject of. increased pa yand has been
appealed TO by labor unions in this
country He wants to look into the
situation personally before acting.
The question OF regulating the sale
OF coal on the Isthmus is an interest
ing one. Lieut. Col Goethals be-
lieves II is said, that II private inter
ests are allowed to build pockets at
each end OF the canal, opportunity
will be offered for extortion and mon
opoly in supplying ships which may
arrive at the canal in want Of fuel.
The government must build naval
coalng stations at each end OF the
canal and in doing so, It will be an
easy matter to provide merchantships
with limited quantities Of fuel
This in itself, It is declared might
act as a check upon the private deal
ers. Congress will be asked 10 de-
eide as between the concession plan
or government sale.
The president will leave Beverly on
Monday for New York, where he will
remain until Wednesday night. lie
then goes to Washington, arriving in
the capital Thursday morning.
He will go TO Cincinnati to vote on
November and will proceed from
Cincinnati TO Charleston to take
ship for Panama. On his way Ia the
Isthmus and returning. the president
expects TO work on his message t.
Congress He will complete the doc
ument during the two weeks he will
have in Washington after his return
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