The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-22
ED HOWE'S NOTES.
Continues His Visit Along the
Panama Canal.
So Big One Can't Think of 1t
All in a Day.
ARE SIDE BY SIDE.
Native and American Towns
Thrive Together.
Saloons Licensed and Support
the Schools.
ARE SIDE BY SIDE.
Wednesday, February 2.

/ wednesday, February 2.
We are at sea again, en- route to La
Guayra, in South America, where we
| should arrive next Friday morning.
Yesterdays railway excursion in the
Panama republic was impressive. and
| am thinking good deal about it to-
day. On the way up, the ship servants
served the usual morning luncheon; on
the way back in the afternoon, they
served the luncheon usually served on
the ship at about p. m. 1 have never
seen such determination on the part
! of all of a ships company to please
passengers Immediately after arriving
! in Colon, we hurried on board, and the
crowd on the dock, and climbing the
gangway, surprised me; I didn't realize
before that three hundred and forty
people could make so much of a crowd.
IN the snip, they are scattered, but yes
terday afternoon, they were collected in
an impressive crowd. The size of the
"Moltke," in the background was also
impressive.
But most of all, 1 am thinking today
of the canal; it is so big that you can't
think of it all in one day. We said
goodbye to Colonel Goethals late yes
terday, at Culebra, but he is still in my
mind, with the canal. He said to me
yesterday: Il don't know anything
about the tariff: 1 can't understand it,
That is the way I feel about the canal
L don't know anything about it. The
passengers are all talking about it to-
DAY. The visit of three hundred and
forty representative Americans to the
canal yesterday had this result. so far
as l am able to judge today: Ninety
per cent are friendly and enthusiastic
But l don't know; the enterprise is go
big that 1 can't form an intelligent
opinion. Colonel Goethals frankly adj
mItS he knows nothing about the tariff.
l admit know nothing about the tariff
In addition, admit I know nothing
ABOUT the canal. 1t is a question so big
that only years-possibly many years
can solve it. The Panama canal will be
a big mark on the worlds map many
centuries after every living creature
now living has passed into dust, wheth-
er We succeed in five years or ten, Or
whether we fail entirely. 1 know moth
ing about the canal, further than that a
hurried visit is wonderfully impressive.
When We were in Jamaica, As out of
$40 passengers went on the excursion;
the entire $40 went on the Panama ex-
curSion, leaving the ship deserted.
There is tremendous interest in the
canal everywhere; if we succeed, the
Panama canal will call more attention
to the smart Yankee" than anything
else he ever accomplished. The COM
pletion of the Panama canal will be an
event of first magnitude, and will be
printed in the list of big events in
future, along with freedom for slaves,
and great wars fought for righteous
ness. But do not understand it, after
my visit of day. nor could I under
stand it were to remain in Panama a
month. or three months; it is too big
for me.
Colonel GoethaIs told us that the
canal and the locks would float the
''Lusitania," as well as the ships now
being built at Belfast, which are nearly
a thousand feet long, SO the future has
been considered Colonel CSOAt halls horn
and bred an engineer says he is posi-
tive the canal will be completed by 1916:
that he will bet it is in use before that
year is reached, but 1 am not an en-
gineer, and cannot form an opinion.
And if you have an opinion about the
canal, it is a mere guess. Have you
not noted how worthless 80 out of every
100 opinions are?
In Panama, an American dollar bill Is