Evening journal., 1910-12-06

fAAH NifAAAARn anu hch NNlA ANnotA'AatA'h
Of the subject ia the light of the report
already before you made by compe-
tent board.
If in our discretion we believe mod
ern fortifcations to be necessary to the
adequate protection and policing Of the
canal, then IL is our duty TO construct
them. We have built the canal. II is
our property. BY convention we have
indicated our desire for and indeed un-
dertaken It's universal and equal use.
lt is also wen known that one of the
chief objects In the construction of the
canal has been 20 increase the military
| effectiveness of our navy.
Failure to fortlfy the canal would
leave the attainment of both these
aims Ia the position Of rights and oh
legations which we should be powerless
TO enforce and which could never IN
any other way he absolutely safeguard
ed against "A desperate aud irresponsi-
bic enemy.
In determining what the tolls I'm the
canal should be we certainly ought not
TO insist that for a good many years
TO come they should amount to enough
to pay the interest on the Investment
Of S40O0OO000 which the United
States has made In the construction
of the canal We ought not TO do this,
first. because the benefits TO be derived
by the United States from this eX-
penditure are not 20 be measured solely
by return upon the investment.
My own impression is that tho tolls
ought not TO exceed 81 per net ton On
Jan. !, 1911, the tolls In the Suez canal
are 10 be Z francs and 2S centimes for
one net ton by Suez canal measure
ment, which is a modification Of
Danube measurement 4 dollar a ton
will secure under the figures above a
gross annual income from the Panama
canal of nearly STOOO,OOO. The cost
OF maintenance and operation Is esti-
mated 10 exceed S3O00.O00.
The next question that arises is as
to the maintenance, management and
general control of the canal after it's
q completion. II should be promised
that II is an essential part of our navy
establishment TO have the coal. oil and
other ship supplies, a drydock and
repair shops conveniently located with
reference to naval vessels passing
through the canal Now. n the govern.
ment for naval purposes Is 10 under.
take 10 furnish these convenlenccs TO
the navy. and they are convenionces
' equally required by commercial YES
sells. there would seem 20 be strong
reasons why the government should
5 take over and include in its manage
ment the furnishing not only to th'
e navy. but to the public. drydock an'
! repair shop facilities and the sale O
o coal. oil and other ship supplies.
The maintenance OF a lock canal O
y this enormous size IN a sparsely popu
4 lated country and in the tropics, wher
G the danger from disease IS alway
j. present requires large and complet
d and well trained organization witt
5 full police powers. exercising the nj
= most care.
cannot close this reference 10 th'
\ canal without suggesting as a wis.,
amendment 10 the interstate commerce
} law a provision prohibiting interstate
! commerce railroads from owning o
r controlling ships engaged in the trade
through the Panama canal. I believe
3 such provision may be needed f
r save to the people Of the United State
the benefits of the competition In trade
between the eastern and western sea
boards which this canal was construct
, ed to secure
, Department Of Justice.
am glad 20 say that under the ap
propriatlons made for the departmen
Of Justice the attorney general has 81
, improved its organization that vas
amount of litigation Of a civil an'
= criminal character has been disposct
b Of during the current year This vii
explain the necessity for slightly in
creasing the estimates for the ex
penses Of the department His repor
shows the recoveries made on behal
OF the government. of duties fraudu
lenuy withheld, public lands improp
erly patented. fines and penalties 70
trespass. prosecutions and conviction
under the antitrust law and prosecu
tions under interstate commerce law.
invite especial attention 10 th
prosecutions under the federal law o
the so called "bucket shops" and o
those schemes 10 defraud In which tn
use of the mail is an essential par
Of the fraudulent conspiracy. prosecu
tions which have saved ignorant ant
weak members of the public and ar
I saving them hundreds Of millions o
8 dollars.
J, Tho violations OF the antitrust Law
e present perhaps the most importan
d litigation before the department. an
/ the number of cases filed shows th
!, activity Of the government in enforC
J. ing that statute.
Judicial Procedure.
One great crying need in the Unite
, States is cheapening the cost OF litigg
e ton by simplifying judicial procedur
and expediting final judgment Undo
c present conditions the poor man is o
y woeful disadvantage In a legal col
: test with a corporation or rich ol
ponent The necessity for the refori
exists both in United States court
! and in all state courts In order I
bring II about, however IL natural
falls TO the general government by il
example to furnish a model to a
s, states. A legislative commission al
II pointed by joint resolution of congre.
'e TO revise the procedure in the Unite
D. States courts has as vet made no r.