Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-22
CONTROL OF CANAL
Congress Expected to Act on
Presidents Advice.
CONTEST is ANTICIPATED
Railroad Interests Likely to Oppose
Structures Put Upon Them.
SENATOR FLINT'S FIRST MOVE
Has House Bill Recommitted in
Order to Draft in the Pro-
posed Amendments.
CONTEST is ANTICIPATED
SENATOR FLINT's FIRST MOVE

Legislation looking forward to the time
when the Panama canal will be in use
by the worlds commerce. along the lines
suggested in the recent annual message
of President Taft, is expected at the
present session of Congress.
The first step to that end was taken
in the Senate few days ago by Senator
Flint of California. chairman of the COM
mittee On interoceanic canals. He asked
that the Panama canal government bill,
passed by the House and on the calendar
of the Senate. be recommitted to the conf
mittee. and that was done. The object is
to have the committee incorporate in 1t
some. If not all. of the recommendations
affecting the canal made in the Presi-
dents message, and the committee Will
be called together by Senator Flint short
~ after the holiday recess to draft the
desired amendments.
The questions Of fortifying the canal
and of providing tolls are sure to come
up in this connection. The President
thinks that the tolls ought not to be
he recommends that the exact amount
be left to the chief executive to fix,
within limitations to be imposed by Con-
Sress. When the canal is nearer COM
pletion it is believed that a more exact
estimate of the amount of tonnage that
will pass between Panama and Colon
will be possible. and that will give a
Better basis for fixing the tolls. The
President is anxious to have the general
question settled by legislation. however.
mittee believe a bill OF amendment en-
bracing its ideas will be reported within
a short time.
Sure to Start Fight.
An amendment to the bill authorizing
the fertilization of the canal is sure to
stir up much fight i'm both houses Of
Congress; and unless hope is abandoned
of getting some of the advance canal
legislation through at this session. it is
not expected provision for fortificatio
will be made in amendments to the pres
ent bill
1t is believed that the bill will be
amended by the committee. however. to
make general provision for the mainte-
nance of the canal-the organ ization and
maintenance of a force of engineers and
other experts to operate and keep i'm order
the vast machinery running across the
isthmus and the provision of repair and
supply stations at the termini. These
matters are discussed by the President,
while urging that Congress act imme-
diately.
To carry out another recommendation
of the President, Senator Flint yester-
day introduced a bill aimed to prohibit a
railroad in the United States from own
ing any interest in competing water line
through the Panama canal. The bill is
broad and comprehensive. providing:
1T shall be unlawful for any railroad
or other common carrier subject to this
act to own. lease. operate, control or have
any interest whatsoever (by stock owner
nfhpruiSa l.
rectly. through any holding company. OF
in any other manner) i'm any common
carrier by water with which said rail-
road or other carrier aforesaid does or
the violation of this provision each day
in which such violation continues shall
be deemed a separate offense.
Railroads in the Contest.
. The transcontinental railroads fought
the construction of the isthmian canal
for years. foreseeing that the water COM
petition through the canal would compel
them to drop their rates or lose their
business 1t is not believed that they
will give up the fight now, and the bill is
aimed 10 thwart any effort which the
railroads may make to control the steam
ship lines running from one seaboard OF
the country to the other through the
canal and thus control the rates so that
the rail rates will not have to be cut to
meet water competition.
The charge that the transcontinental
railroad interests were i'm control of rates
from the Pacific ports to the Atlantic
ports via the Panama railroad culmi-
mated last session i'm the introduction or
a bill in Congress providing that the gov
eminent should operate a steamship line
from Pacific ports to Panama to be oper-
ated i'm conjunction with the government
owned railroad across the iSthmuS and
the aforementioned Panama Steam
ship Company operating between Colon
and Atlantic ports.
Pacific ports and Panama was in opera
ton al the time, the Pacific Mail Steam
ship CONF any, and it was charged that
line was controlled by the transconti-
mental railroads and was operated 10
throw business to the railroads.
The necessity for the passage of the
bill for competing government steam
ship line was Obviated last summer by
the establishment of an independent line
of steamships connecting San Francisco
and other California ports with Panama
Its rates and its schedule have been such
1t is said, that it's business has been large
and the line has proved very profitable.
1t is already making plans for twenty
to twenty-five days service between the
two seaboards. through the canal when
it is completed
Gives President Authority.
The Panama zone government bill,
which it is now proposed to amend, pro-
vides for the substitution fer the isthmian
canal commission, now in charge, OF
director general. and leaves to the Pres
ident the authority for providing a suit
able civil government under the director
general.
Specific provision is made in the bill for
a circuit court and for such inferior
courts as are found necessary.