The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-10-14
PRESIDENT TAFT
TO VISIT PANAMA
Executive Changes Plans and
Will Go TO Canal to Handle
Vital Questions.
CHIEF ENGINEER WINS
Goethels ConVinces President That
There Is Urgent Need for His
Early Visit.

Beverly. Mass, Oct 13.-President
Taft win sail for the isthmus Of Pan
ANA on November 10 from Charleston,
5 G, on the armOred cruiser North
Carolina. conveyed by her sister SNIP
the Montana. The President will be
gone about twelve days. The North
Carolina and Montana can make the
Journey in each direction in four days
This will give Mr.. TAFT about four
days on the isthmus-
The President had practically given
up all idea OF visiting the canal this
wear until Colonel GOethals, chief en-
gineer, visited him this afternoon Al
the emf of the visit Mr.. Taft had been
convinced that the problems confront
ing the officials OF Panama require his
prese nee.
some OF the problems 10 be dealt
with n the immediate future;
The extent and character OF the for
tificatiOns; the fixing of tolls; a pro-
posed increase in wages; the future
management of the Panama railroad;
the form Of permanent government or
the canal zone and the regulation OF
the sale of coal. The government may
go into the business of selling coal it.
self in order TO prevent the possibility
of extOrtiOn or a monopoly.
Need Early Settlement.
Mr.. Taft had thought that several Of
these questions would not require set
Element for year or more, but Col
onel Cocktails put matters in a diner-
ent light The question Of tolls. which
II was thought could wait until the
canal is much nearer completion, was
explained by Colonel Cocktails 10 be
one of the most pressing for Congress
TO meet An international conference
OF steamship owners and shipping IN
terests is TO be held in Berlin in the
summer OF 1911. It is believed 10 be
highly important that Congress should
have fixed the rates of toll by that
time. The authorities believe the in
fuence the canal Will have upon ship
ping should be felt at this conference.
The canal must be made to attract
shipping, and at the same time an
effort will be made TO have the toll
charges meet the interest on the
S4OO, 0O0, eco investment which the
canal viii represent.
Date for Opening.
The date for opening the Panama
canal has been set for January II,
1915. President Taft and Colonel
Goethals believe Il viii be completed
and open long before that time.
The proposed early opening OF the
Caudl IL dlLCdul al NALSSl Afr-i
shipping interests. especially in the
Pacific, and inquiries are coming in az
10 the estimated rates of tolls. Presi-
dent Taft was informed today that one
line supplying the Hawaiian trade VIII
have fOrty-five ships in commission by
TIE time the canal is opened. This
line aow has its freight transferred
across Mexico by rail. If the rates of
toll through the canal will make the
cost OF shipping less. the company will
use the waterway, otherwise il VIII
continue its present method.
The canal. first OF all, it is declared,
Is a business proposition and must be
so treated. II will be for Congress to
determine whether the canal zone shall
have a military or civil form OF gov
eminent. The present authorities on
the isthmus are strong in their rec
concentrations for the former.
Colonel Goethals reported that the
higher class OF workmen are asking
for Increase in pay in keeping with in
creases recently granted their FELLOW
artisans in the UAited states. AT the
same time report comes from Panama
that the cost OF living on the isthmus
has not increased as II has in the
United States.
The question of regulating the sale
OF coal on the isthmus is an interest
ing one. Colonel Goethals believes, II
is said, that if private interests are al
lowed to build pockets, opportunity
will be offered for extortiOn and mo-
nopOly in supplying ships which ar
rive in want of fuel
Mr.. Taft viii go TO Cincinnati q
vote on November s. and will proceed
from Cincinnati to Charleston 10 take
shin for Panama He may stop ovel
in Washington a few hours on tbs
way