The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-03
CANAL,
SAYS ROOSEVELT.
Former President Goes On Record
Against Recommendations Made
By President Taft.

OMAHA. Neb., Sept. S.-The urgent
necessity for strongly fortifying the
Panama canal was set forth by CO..
Roosevelt in his speech here yester-
day. He also repeated his declaration
that a big navy insures peace.
Those who heard the colonel speak
about the Panama canal before an
audience of 5000 persons In the audi
forum of Omaha, construed his re-
marks to be directed at President
Taft, and who does not share this
opinion. Mr.. Roosevelt was mighty
emphatic In his speech. He said:
There is no use of "a nation claim
ing to be a great nation unless IL Is
prepared to play great part IA
ton such as ours cannot possiply play
a great part In international AFFAIRS,
cannot expect TO be treated as weight
In either the Atlantic or the racine, or
to have its voice as TO the monroe
doctrine, or the management OF the
Panama canal, needed, unless II has
strong and thoroughly efficient navy.
Within the last decade the American
navy has been about trebled IN
strength, and much more than trebled
in efficiency, due to its extraordinary
progress In craftsmanship and ma
neuvering SO far from this increase
in naval strength representing on our
part either q menace OF aggression 10
wee ker nations or menace OF war TO
stronger nations, 1t has told most pow
erfully for peace. Everywnere In bu-
rope the cruise OF the battle Meet
around the world was accepted, not
only as an extraordinary feat. reflect
ing the highest honor upon our navy,
but as one OF the movements whlcn
tended markedly TO promote peacetul
stability in international relations. NO
nation regarded the cruise as fraught
with any menace OF hostility to itself;
and yet every nation accepted IL as
proof that we were not only deslrous
ourselves TO keep the peace, but able
TO prevent the peace being broken at
our expense.
As regards the Panama canal, real
ly think that outside nations nave
juster idea than our own people or the
magnitude and success OF the work.
SIX years ago last spring the Amer :
lean government took possession or
the isthmus The first two years were
devoted TO the sanitation of the 18TH
mus to assembling the plant ana
working force, and providing quarters,
food. and water supplies. In all these
points the success was eNtraora,nary.
From one OF the plague-spots or the
globe. one of the most unhealthy
regions in the entire world. the isth-
mus has been turned into a singularly
healthy place OF abode wnere ,ne
dreds OF children are now being raised
under as favorable conditions as In
most parts Of the United States. The
quarters food. and water supply are
excellent and the plant the best ever
gathered for such a purpose. Active
excavation on large scale did not be-
gin until January. 1907. Three years
and n half have gone by since then,
and three -ffths OF the total excava-
tlon has already been accomplished.
The amount taken ont has passed any
thing which previous experience war
rantcd us In believing 20 be possible
In 1908 and 1909 the monthly average
OF rock and earth removed was three
million cubic yards Notwithstanding
the fact that nine months or each year
constituted a season or very heavy
rainfall There remains 20 be eNca-
waited only about sixty million cubic
yards IL we could keep up the past
average OF excavation. this should be
done I'm twenty. months; but II " Inn
possible TO maintain such ratio as
the depth increases; for the output
unnecessarily diminishes az the neid Of