Arizona republican., 1910-12-07

| structiOn might we'll have been left
 to private enterprise. It was because
 an adequate return upon the money invested could not be expected imme- ! diately. or in the near future and be- cause there were peculiar politica advantages to be derived from the construction of the canal that i, necessarily fell to the government tc
 advance the money and perform the work
 In addition to the benefit to our ' naval strength. the canal greatly in
 creases the trade facilities of the United States. It will undoubtedly cheapen the rates of transportation fin
 all freight between the eastern and
 western seaboard. and it will greatly
 increase that trade by reason of the
 reduction in its cost. Then. If We are
 to have a world canal and if We are
 anxious that the routes of the world s
 trade shall be through the Panama
 canal we must recognize that We
 have an active competitor in the Suez
 canal. Then. too. there are other
 means of crossing the isthmus-by
 the Tehuantepec railroad and by Oth-
 CT railroads and freight routes in
 Central America tO the Atlantic side.
 In all these cases the question
 whether the Panama canal is to be
 used and its tonnage increased.
 would be determined later by the
 charge for it's use My own i'm
 pression is that the tolls ought not
 to exceed s1 per net ton. On Jan
 uary l. 1911, the tolls in the Suez
 canal are to be seven francs and
 twenty-five centimes for one net ton
 by Suez canal measurement. which
 is modification of Danube meas
 urement A dollar a ton will secure
 under the figures above. a gross in- come from the Panama canal or
 nearly s7.00O,0OO The cost of main
 tenance and operation is estimated
 to exceed s3.OOO. .OOO Ultimately of course. with the actual increase in
 trade the income will approach the
 interest charged upon the investment On the whole I should recommend that within certain limits, the pres ident be authorized to fix the tolls of the canal and adjust them to what seems to be commercial neces- sity. The inquiries already made of the chief engineer of the canal show that the present consideration of this question is necessary in order that the commerce of the world may have time to adjust itself to the new con ditions resulting from the opening of this new highway.
 The next question that arises is that of the maintenance management and general control of the canal after it's completion. It should be promised that it is an essential part of our navy establishment to have the coal. oil and other ship supplies. a dry dock and repair shops, conveniently located with reference to naval yes sels passing through the canal. Now. if the government. for naval pur- poses is to undertake to furnish these cOnveniences to the navy and they are cOnvenienCes equally re- quired by commercial vessels. ther, would seem to be strong reasons why the government should take over and include in its management the fur not only to the navy put to the public dock and repair shop fa- cilities, and the sale of coal. oil. and other ship supplies.
 The maintenance of a lock canal Df this enormous size in a sparselv populated country and in the tropics. where the danger from disease is al 1 ways present requires a complete and | we'll trained organization with full police powers, exercising the utmost | are. The visitor to the canal is | It once impressed with the wonder | ul freedom from tropical disease but I must not be misled as to the con ! itant vigilance that is needed to maintain this condition The vast machinery of the locks. the necessary mount of dredging. the preservation 'f the banks of the canal from Hides, the operation and maintenance 'f the equipment of the railways will all require a force, not, of course. O be likened in any way to the present. organization for construction ut a skilled body of men who can ,eep in a state of usefulness this -reat instrument of commerce Such m organization makes it easy to in lude within it's functions the fur fishing of dry docks. fuel. repairs nd supply facilities to the trade of he world. These will be more es- ential at the Isthmus of Panama han they are at Port Said or Suez ecause there are no depots for coal. upplies. and other commercial neces- ltieS within thousands of miles of ! ne isthmuS
 Another important reason why 1ese ancillary duties may we'll be | by the government is the pportunity for discrimination be- Neen patrols of the canal that is ffered where private concessions are ranted for the furnishing of these Icilities. Nothing would create greater preju- ce against the canal than the sus- . cion that certain lines of I-affic ere favored in the furnishing of sup $ ies, or supplies were controlled by ! ly large interest 1t might have a otive for increasing the cost of the f 'e of the canal. It may be added a at the termini are not ample enough
 permit the fullest competition in spect to the furnishing of these fa- ifipS and |