The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-01-19
"F|CHE|NG BOB"
AND THE CANAL
SEES ITS FINANCIAL RUIN
GREAT RAILROADS, HE SAYS,
WILL BE POSSIBLE.

iscs OF those who planned it, will not
increase by one iOta our trade with
Chile and Peru and will. If the rail
roads are allowed to establish rates to
suit themselves. speedily become Fl.
nancial ruin.
Fighting Bob" Is still true to his
nickname and now, continuing his
argument in favor of THROWN open the
canal free to the commerce of the ma.
tiOn, he proves his pen quite as mighty
as the biggest ship he ever command
ed
He points out that. though the u-
crease of our Chillian and Peruvian
trade was at first assured, the fact is
that shippers would. after the canal
was opened. much prefer to go around
by the Straits OF Magellan, and i'm.
stead of paying canal charges. pay out
the same money for coal wherewith
to make the return trip by way of the
straits.
If the canal charges were $4,000"
says Admiral Evans in the course of
his latest magazine article. that
amount of money converted into
Welsh coal at Valparaiso means 1000
/ tons, and if we allow half of this. or
/ 500 tons for the trip each way. we find
that the ship can pass through the
Straits of Magellan. steam up the
coast nearly to the canal. and then
retrace her course to her home port
as she came, more chcaply than by
passing through the new waterway.
The point at which the trade of
the Pacific coast of South America
would divide between the Panama
canal route and the Straits of Magel-
Ian. route has been fixed as just south
OF Naldivia i'm Chile but by reason
OF canal rates the dividing point must
be shifted north about 1000 miles.
which will give the Magellan route
all the commerce. at least as far north
as Callao in Peru II We say that
fourfifths of the trade OF this coast
which has heretofore gone to the cred
ii of Pauama-will remain where il
is, We shall not be far wrong Nothing
but free canal can change this con.
dition."
Taking up in detail the commerce
of New Zealand and OF the Pacific isl
ands the admiral finds therein the
same arguments for his plane of a
free canal. He goes thoroughly into
the question of coal supply. coming
to the conclusion that if We place
cheap coal in South America. this
move will also injure the financial
success OF the canal.
The admiral passes into a brilliant
prophecy concerning the southern sec
tion of the county, which he says will
reap the greatest benefit from the
canal, because it brings it nearer n
market for the things il produces. Its
cotton goods, manufactured at home
out of raw material grown on its own
soil, will be eagerly sought by the
people Of South American countries.
bile, Pensacola and New Orleans as
gulf ports which will aid shipping
through the canal. He insists that the
railroads, if allowed 10 establish rates
To suit themselves, can easily cripple
the canal, and can make such charges
that there will be no profit either for
the producer or the consumer.
Fighting Bob" makes the same pro.
phecy concerning the products of the
Pacific states, notably California lie
comes out for waterways plan III
the middle west, saying that 1t would
greatly add 10 the prospective cheap
onspOrtat ON, and would have the rf,
ing by competing railroad lines. IN
conclusion, Admiral Evans says:
The bitter opposition OF the rail
roads OF the county 20 connect the
two oceans by a canal is we'll known,
For many years it was SO effective as
TO prevent any company from getting
such canal or even securing char.
ter TO get one 1t was not until the
Nicaraguan Canal company, after a
long struggle, secured its charter from
the congress of the United States that
there seemed any hope OF ever really
having canal. The battle in con
gress for the present projected water
way 10 be dug and owned by the Unit
ed states showed low strong the rail.
road interests We're. and when the
work is completed the action OF tac5e
same railroads will determine whether
We are, as a nation. to benefit by II or
not"
II is dangerous thing to take a