The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-12-06
IssSdId d sspsdlIsa IIIIsII q paisi.

Philip pine u andS,
During the Inst sirliilyr al my ne.
tl1sst ne seeretaFy b var visited the !
: hhiilphlns Islands and bas described
his trip l1 bis report He found the
Islands III d state Of tranqu nifty aud
growing prosperity due largely 10 theS
Change Id the; tarltt laws which has
opened the market pfs America TO the
products Of the Philippines md has
opened the. Philippine markets 10
American manufacture.
Panama. Canal. q
AT, the instance Of Colonel Cocktails
the army engineer ofaeer in cbarGe or
the3work on tbe Panama canal. Il have
Just made d visit To- the lsthmus to 10:
speet the work done and TO consult
with iilmsori the ground as to certain
problems which are likely to arise III
s,the near future. rue progress Of the
work Is MOST satisfa Glory, III no mn,
expected obstacle presehts Itself sithel
fsanaiE Will he compile ted wen within the.
time, fixed by Colonel Goethals- to wit,
IsJan. 4, s19i5 and within the estimate
Of cost, 1915. 900 600. s.
Among questions arising for present
solution is the decision whether The
canal shall be fortified, / have already
stated to the congress that y strongly
favor fortiicatlon,s and 1 now yreiterate
This opinion and ask your consideration
Of the subject the light Of the report
already before you made BY a compe:
tent board. Is ~ Z "a
II in our dlscretio ION we believe mod:
|ern;f ortifcati 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. lit Is
our property. By convention we have
indicated our desire for and indeed un.i
dertaken its universal and equal use.
It is also well known that one OF the
chief objects In the construction Of the
canal has been to increase the military;
effectiveness Of our navy (. III
Failure to- fortifs the canal would
leave the; attainment: Of both these
aims in the position or rights and oh.
legations which we should be powerless'
to enforce and which could never In
any other way be absolutely safeguard.
ed against a desperate and irresponsl-
bic enemy. SSls} w K
In Determining what the tolls, In the
canal should be we certainly ought not
to Insist that for IA good many years
to come they should amount to enough
TO pay the Interest on the Investment
of $500. 000. 900 which the United
States has made ID 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 aireturn upon the Investment
Ny own impression is that the tolls
ought not to exceed 81 per net ton. On
Jan: i, 1911. the tolls In the suez canal
are to be francs aud % centimes for
one net ton Wy Sussf canal measure.
ment, whlchEyls 50 oditication t.of
Danube meas,ireme a dollar3a ion
will secure under the figures above d
| gross annual: income from the Panama
canal Of tnearlys $1,000. 600. The cost
OF maintenance and operation is est.
mated to exceed S3 600, 900. \.
The next question that arises Is as
to the maintenance, management aud
general control OF the, canal after Its
completion. SIT should be- promised
that It Is IN essentialspart Of ourSnayy
establishment to have the coal, oil and
other ship supplies. drydock, and
repair shops conveniently located with
reference to naval vessels passing
through the canal. Now. II the govern.
ment for naval purposes Is to under
take to, furnish these, conveniences to
tho navy, and they are conveniences
equally required by commercial yes.
sells. there would seem to beastrong
reasons why the! government should
take over, and Include: in its manage
ment the furnishing not only to the
navy. but TO :thespubllc. .drydock and
repair shop facilities and the sale Of
coal. oil and other ship supplies q
The maintenance OF lock canal OF
this enormous Size In a sparsely I,opll.
lated country aud In, the tropics. where
the danger from discuss. is always
present, requires q large and crmiAete
and well trained organization With
full police powers, exercising the Ut
most care. III
II cannot close this reference TO the
canal without suggesting as n wise
amendment tottheinterstate commerce
, law a provision prohibiting Interstate
;. commerce railroads from owning q
controlling ships engaged In the trade
J through the Panama canal: | believe
such provision may be needed e
saveIto the people Of the United States
the benefits of:thacompetition in trade
4 between the eastern and western sea.
boards whlchsthis canal was construct
!, ed to secure. ~ II.
pepartnhehtsof Justice.
am glad to. say that une the up
preparations made for The department
Of Justice the attorney general has "
Improved Its Organization that a vas,
, amount Of litigation Of a civil and
y !. -. hnS y,.a,. .5t;.a,,J