The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-06
President laft's Message


ern fortlhcations 20 be necessary TO ths
adequate protection ana po.o,' ~ con.
the canal, then II ~ our duty 10 vo
struct thCm We have built the euhat.
IL is our property BY convention w
have indicated our desire TOT. an ana
equal use II IL also wen known lnas
one of the chief objects IN the tn IL
BtIuction OF the canal has peeh a,r
crease the military effectiveness W
navy. .,,auia
Failure 10 fortlfy tho canal wSuln
leave the attainment OF potn -
aims In the position oil risn'I noxxerless
Ia enforce aud which could never W
any other way be absolutely saIesu"ri
ed against a desperate and HfeSpo"''
BILE enemy
Another question which arises ~.
consideration and possible ssansi
is the question or tolls IN W, .n.d ~
ia, nrobable TONNAGE which VIII go
through the canal. IL ~ all lha.'e,,
OF estimate but one or the soEn ,h,.
commission In 1900 lnNes.e"tt lie con-
question and made report re V"n
GUIDED that the total TONNAGE OF w
vessels employed In commerce ,"Is
could use the isthmlan cahai -, rea.
would amount TO 6,S4j,soo tons nrN 'tS
ister. and that this tranic wouio VI,
crease 25l per cent per deeaus' ' .,
IL was not probable thht an wv ,d a.
foi-
snce abandon the routes at present ioi-
lowed and make use OF the new '"n 49,
and that IL might take some tine' p,,h
haps two years, TO readJust traue toh
r,ierence 10 the new conditions when
the canal would establish. lie ala no.
include moreover, the tonnage y. W.
Vessels. although II Is 10 os as,har
thar such vessels would make consluel
able use OF the canal. In the thutSe
OF tolls he reached the conclusioh ,'
a dollar a net ton would not drive pus'.
ness away from the canai' OUT 'N
higher rate would do SO -, ,o,,a
In determining what the tolls shoulu
be we certainly ought not 10 ihsist 80
for good many years 10 COM nv he
should amount to enough 10 pS ooa
Interest on the investment OF $3oV,ooV
600 which the United states has may W
in the construction OF the cana. ~
ought not 70 do this hrst, because wy
benefits to be derived by the lh'eo
states from this expenditure Is no, 10
be measured solely ny re'.,n 'p ySs
the Investment. II II were theh tne
construction might well have been leit
TO private enterprise. II was because
an adequate return upon the money III
vested could not be expected lniIheui
ately. or In the near future, and be
cause there were peculiar political aa-
vantages TO be derived from the con-
struction or the canal that heces
sarily fell to the government 10 au-
vance the economy and perform the
work
In addition TO the benefit TO our
creases the trade facilities or the
United states II will undoubtedly
cheaper the rates OF transportation IN
all freight between the eastern ana
western segboard. and II will greatly
Increase that trade by reason or the
reduction In it's cost Then, II we are
TO have world canal. ana II We
anxious that the routes OF the worlo
trade shall be through the Panama
canal. We must "ecognize thst we haNe
an active competitor In the Suez cahai;
%
crossing the Isthmus-by the Iehuan-
tepec railroad and By other raiiroeos
and freight routes IN Central America
10 the Atlantic side.
In ali these cases the question
whether the Panama canal Ia to be
used and its tonnage Increased Will De
determined mainly by the charge Tor
its use My own impression is that the
tolls ought not to exceed ~ per net
ton. On jar. l. 1911. the tolls In the
Suez canal are TO oe francs ano 20
centimes for / net ton by Suez canal
measurement which is "A MODIFICATION
OF Dannbe measurement. dollar
ton Will secure Under the ngures above
gross income rom the Panama canal
OF nearly t1.000000. The cost OF main
tenance and operation Is estimated 10
exceed 100000 Ultimately. OF
course, with the normal increase In
trade the income will approximate the
interest charges upon the Investment.
on the whole 1 should recommend that
within certain limits the president Do
and adjust them to what seems TO De
commercial necessity. The inquiries
already made OF the chief engineer OF
The canal show that the present con-
sideration of this question Is necessary
in order that the commerce or the
world may have time to adjust Itself
10 the new conditions resulting from
the cpening OF this new highway.
The next question that arises In as
to the maintenance, management ana
general control OF the canal after It's
i.tf q
il Is an essential part of our navy es-
adjustment to have the coal, oil and
other 3hip supplies a dry dock. and re-
pair shops conveniently located with
reference to naval vessels passing
through the canal Now, II the gov
eminent. for naval purposes. Is TO un-
dertake to furnish these conveniences
to the navy. and they are convenienees
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 TO the
navy but TO the public. dry dock and
rerair-shop facilities, and the sale of
coal, Oil. and other ship supplies.
The maintenance OF lock canal or
this enormous size In 4 sparseiy popu-
lated country and In the tropics. where
the danger from disease Is always pres
ent. requires large and complete and
well-trained organization with full
police powers exercising the utmost
care. The visitor to the canal who 10
from tropical diseases on the Isthmus
must not be misled as to the constant
vigilance that is needed to preserve
his condition. The vast machinery OF
the banks of the canal from slides the
operation and the maintenance OF the
equipment OF the raiiway--will all re-
auire a force. not OF course. to be lik-
ened In any way TO the present organi-
Zation for construction. but skilled
body OF men who can keep In a state
OF usefulness this great instrument OF
commerce Such an organization makes
il easy to include within It's functions
the furnishing OF dry dock, fuel, re-
pairs and supply facilities to the trade
or the world. These will be more es-
sential at the Isthmus OF Panama than
they are at Port Said or Suez, because
there are no depots for coal. supplies.
and other commercial necessities with
In thousands of miles OF the Isthmus.
Another important reason why these
ancillary duties may we'll be under
taken by the government is the oppor-
tunity for discrimination between
patrons OF the canal that In offered
where private concessions are granted
FOR the furnishing OF these facilities
Nothing would create greater prejudice
against the canal than the suspicion
that certain lines of trsnIc were
favored Ia the furnishing OF supplies
or that the supplies were controlled by
my large interest that might have a
motive for increasing the cost OF the
use OF the canal. II may be added that
the termini are not ample enough TO
hermit he fullest competition In re-
spect TO the furnishing Of these facili-
lies and necessities TO the worlds trade