Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-07

already before you made by compe-
tent board.
If in our discretion we believe mod
ern Notifications to be necessary to the
adequate protection and policing of the
canal, then it is our duty to construct
them. We have built the canal. 1t Is
our property. BY convention we have
indicated our desire for and indeed I'M
dertaken its universal and equal use.
1t is also well known that one Of the
chief objects in the construction or the
canal has been to increase the military
effectiveness of our navy.
Failure to fortify the canal would
leave the attainment of both these
aims in the position Of rights and OBJ
legations which we should be powerless
to enforce and which could never in
any other way be absolutely safeguard
I'd against desperate and irresponsi-
bic enemy.
In determining what the tolls in the
canal should be we certainly ought not
to insist that for q good many years
to come they should amount to enough
to pay the interest on the investment
of $4OO,OC0OOO 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 to be measured solely
by return upon the investment.
My own impression is that the tolls
ought not to exceed 81 per net ton. On
Jan. l, 1911, the tolls in the Suez canal
are to be francs and 2S centimes for
one net ton by Suez canal measure
ment, which is a modification Of
Danube measurement. a dollar ton
will secure under the figures above a
gross annual income from the Panama
canal of nearly 100000. The cost
Of maintenance and operation is esti-
mated to exceed $3,OO0,000.
The next question that arises is as
to the maintenance, management and
general control Of the canal after its
completion. 1t should be promised
that it 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, if the govern
ment for naval purposes is to under
take to furnish these conveniences to
the navy, and they are conveniences
equally required by commercial YES
sells, there would seem to be strong
reasons why the government should
take over and include in its manage
ment the furnishing not only 10 the
navy, but to the public, drydeck and
repair shop facilities and the sale of
coal, oil AND other ship supplies.
The maintenance of a lock canal OF
this enormous Size in a sparseiy popu-
lated country and in the tropics, where
the danger from disease is always
present, requires large and complete
and well trained organization with
full police powers, exercising the ut
most care.
I cannot close this reference to the
canal without suggesting as a wise
amendment to the interstate commerce
law provision prohibiting interstate
commerce railroads from owning or
controlling ships engaged in the trade
through the Panama canal. l believe
such a provision may be needed to
save to the people of the United States
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 to say that under the ap-
preparations made for the department |
Of justice the attorney general has so
improved its organization that vast |
amount of litigation Of a civil and |
criminal character has been disposed |
of during the current year. This will !
explain the necessity for slightly in
creasing the estimates for the eX- |
penses of the department. His report |
shows the recovcries made on behalf |
of the government, of duties fraudu- |
lently withheld. public lands improp- |
erly patented, fines and penalties for |
trespass. prosecutions and convictions
under the antitrust law and prosecu-
tltllS uhutt iltCtStilG NOluultICe raw.
I invite especial attention to the |
prosecutions under the federal law Of |
the so called bucket shops" and of |
those schemes to defraud in which the
use of the mail is an essential part
of the fraudulent conspiracy, prosecu-
tons which have saved ignorant and
weak members Of the public and are
saving them millions of tlollars.
The violations of the antitrust law
present perhaps the most important
litigation before the department, and
the number of cases filed shows the
nctivity of the government in enforc-
Ing that statute.
judicial Procedure.
One great crying need in the United
States is cheapening the cost Of litiga-
ton by simplifying judicial procedure
md expcditing final judgment. Under
present conditions the poor man is at
a wocful disadvantage in a legal con-
test with a corporation or n rich 3D.
poncnt. The necessity for the reform
exists both in TTnitoyI Stotoc oo,,,+s, |