Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-06
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tent board.
If IN our discretion We believe mod.
ern Notifications 70 be necessary to the
adequate protection and policing Of the
canal, then II Is our duty to construct
them. We have built the canal. 1t Is
our property. BY convention We have
indicated our desire for and indeed un.
dertaken ito universal and equal use.
1t is also we'll known that one Of the
chief objects in the construction Of the
canal has been to increase the military
effectiveness Of our navy.
Failure to fOrtify the canal would
leave the attainment OF both these
aims IN the position Of rights and OBJ
legations which We should lie powerless
to enforce and which could never in
any other way be absolutely safeguard
ed against desperate and irresponsi-
BILE enemy.
In determining what the tolls in the
canal should be we certainly ought not
to insist that for q good many years
to come they should amount to enough
to pay the, interest on the investment
of $4oO. 100000 which the United
States has made in 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 return upon the investment
My own impression is that the tolls
ought not to exceed 81 per net ton. On
Jan. !, 1911, the tolls in the Suez canal
are to be francs and 2S confines for
one net ton by Suez canal measure
ment. which is notification OF
Danube measurement A dollar ton
will secure under the figures above
gross annual income from the Panama
canal OF nearly S7.OOO000. The cost
of maintenance and operation is est
mated to exceed 100000.
The next question that arises is as
to the maintenance, management and
general control OF the canal after its
completion. 1t should be promised
that it is an essential part OF our navy
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. if the govern
menr for naval purposes is TO under
take to furnish these conveniences to
the navy. and they are conveniences
equally required by commercial YES
sells. there would seem to be strong
reasons why the government should
take over and include Ia its manage
ment the furnishing not only to the
navy, but to the public. dtydock and
la
coal. oil and other ship supplies.
The maintenance OF lock canal OF
this enormous size in a sparsely popu-
lated country and in the tropics. where
the danger from disease is always
present. requires large and complete
and well trained organization with
full police powers, exercising the ut
most care.
/ cannot close this reference to the
canal without suggesting as a wise
amendment to the interstate commerce
law a provision prohibiting interstate
commerce railroads from owning or
controlling ships engaged In the trade
through the Panama canal I believe
such a provision may be needed to
save to the people Of the United States
the benefits Of the competition in trade
between the eastern and western sea.
boards which this canal was construct
ed to secure.
Department Of justice.
am glad to say that under the ap-
preparations made for the department
OF justice the attorney general has SO
improved Its organization that vast
amount Of litigation Of civil and
criminal character has been disposed
Of during the current year. This will
explain the necessity for slightly in
creasing the estimates for the ex-
penses Of the department. His report
shows the recoveries made on behalf
Of the government, Of duties fraudu-
lendy withheld, public lands improp-
erly patented, fines and penalties for
trespass. prosecutions and convictions
under the antitrust law and prosecu-
lions under interstate commerce law.
I invite especial attention to the
prosecutions under the federal law OF
the 80 called bucket shops" and of
those schemes to defraud in which the
use of the mail IS an essential part
Of the fraudulent conspiracy. prosecu-
tons which have saved ignorant and
weak members Of the public and are
saving them millions OF dollars.
The viola tons Of the antitrust law
present perhaps the most important
litigation before the department. and
the number Of cases fled shows the
activity OF the government IN eofosc-
ing that statute.
Judicial Procedure.
One great crying need in the Cnited
States is cheapening the cost OF ht1ga-
ton By simplifying judicial procedure
and e1pediting final Judgment Under
present conditions the poor man Is ut
woeful disadvantage in legal con-
test with corpora ton or a rich OF
ponent The necessity for the reform
exists both in United States courts
and in all state courts In order to
bring it about, however, it naturally
falls to the general government by its
example to furnish a model to all
states. A legislative commission ap-
pointed By joint resolution OF congress
TO revise the procedure in the United
States courts has as yet made no re-
port.
/ am strongly convinced that the
best method Of improving judicial pro-