The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-12-07


Philippine Islands aud has described
his trip in his report lie found the
islands in state of tranquility and
growing prosperity. due largely to the
change in the tariff laws which has
opened the markets of America to the
products of the Philippines and has
opened the Philippine markets to
American manufactures.
Panama Canal
At the instance OF Colonel Goethals.
the army engineer officer in charge Of
the work on the Panama canal. | have
| Just made a visit to the isthmus to In
spect the work done and to consult
with him on the ground as to certain
problems which are likely to arise In
the near future. The progress of the
work In most satisfactory. II no nm.
expected obstacle presents itself the
canal will be completed well within the
time Sxed by Colonel Goethals-to wit,
Jan. /, 1915--and within the estimate
of cost, $375,O0O,000.
Among questions arising for present
solution is the decision whether the
canal shall be fortified. | have already
stated to the congress that / strongly
favor fertilization, and l now reiterate
this opinion and ask your consideration
of the subject in the light of the report
already before you made by a cOmpe-
tent board.
If in our discretion we believe mod.
ern fortifications to be necessary to the
adequate protection and policing of the
canal, then it 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 its universal and equal use
1t is also well 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 be powerless
to enforce and which could never In
any other way be absolutely safeguard
ed against a desperate and irresponsi-
BILE enemy.
In determining what the tolls in the
canal should be we certainly ought not
to insist that for good many years
to come they should amount to enough
to pay the interest on the investment
of $400,000,000 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 Z francs and 2S centimes fol
one net ton by Suez canal measure,
ment, which is a modification of
Danube measurement A dollar ton
will secure under the figures above a
gross annual income from the Panama
canal of nearly ST.0OO,000. The cost
of maintenance and operation is esti
mated to exceed $3.000,000.
The next question that arises is as
to the maintenance, management and
general control of the canal after its
that it is an essential part of our navy
establishment to have the coal. oil anG
other ship supplies, a drydock anC
repair shops conveniently located will
reference to naval vessels passing
through the canal. Now, If the govern
ment for naval purposes is to under
take to furnish these conveniences tt
the navy. and they are convenience
equally required by commercial YES
sells, there would seem to be strons
reasons why the government shoult
take over and include in its manage
ment the furnishing not only to th'
navy, but to the public, drydock ant
repair shop facilities and the sale o
coal. oil and other ship supplies.
The maintenance of lock canal o
this enormous size in a sparsely popu
lated country and in the tropics. wher
the danger from disease Is Away
present, requires a large and complet
= and well trained organization witt
full police powers. exercising the Ut
most care.
I cannot close this reference to tn
canal without suggesting as wis
! amendment to the interstate commerc
law a provision prohibiting interstat
commerce railroads from owning o
controlling ships engaged in the trad
through the Panama canal | believ
such a provision may be needed
save to the people of the United State
the benefits of the competition in trad
, between the eastern and western set
boards which this canal was construc
? ed to secure,
Department of Justice.
; I am glad to say that under the az
preparations made for the departmer
Of justice the attorney general has {
= improved its organization that a vas
T. amount of litigation Of civil an
= criminal character has been dispose
: of during the current year This wi
e explain the necessity for slightly il
Y creasing the estimates for the e.
penses of the department. His repo
shows the recoveries made on beha
j Of the government, of duties fraud
> lantlv yvfthhald nublic lands imDrO