Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-12-21

believe that the canal will be COM
ploted ne early ~ the ist of July. 1913.
unless something unforeseen occurs
This II about rs months before the
time promised by the engineers.
\ We are now near enough the COM
pletion % the canal 20 make Il i'm.
!, peratlvely necessary that legislation
should be enacted 10 fix the method by
which the canal shall be maintained
and controlled and the zone governed
The fact n that today there II no stat
utory law by authority OF which the
president Is maintaining the govern.
ment of the zone. such authority was
given In an amendment 10 the spooncr
act. which expired by the terms OF It's
own limitation some years ago. Since
that time the government has con-
tlnued under the advice Of the attor-
ney general that In the absence of ac-
ton by congress-. there II necessarily
AN implied authority on tho part Of
the executive TO maintain govern
mcnt in territory IN which he has TO
see that the laws are executed, The
| fact that we have been able thus To
get along during the Important days
of construction without legislation ex-
preHsly formulating the government Of
the zone. or deiegatlng the creation
OF II To the president n not n reason
for supposing that We may continue
the samc kind OF government after
the construction IL finished. Tho i'm
piled authority OF the president To
maintain a civil government In the
zone may be derived from the man
datory direction given him In the
original SpoOncr act, oy which he was
commanded to build the canal; but
certainly. now that the canal is about
10 be- completed and 90 he put under
a permanent management. there ought
90 he specific statutory authority for
its regulation and control and for the
government Of the zone. which we
hold for the chief and main purpose
OF operating the canal
! fully concur with the secretary 81
war that the problem II simply the
management OF a great public work
and not the government OF local re-
public, that every provision must be
directed toward the successful main
tenanc" OF the canal as an avenue OF
commerce, and that all provisions for
the government OF those who live
WNNfH ANf aVNN FWVNNn NC EWNNlNNNAAo
To the main purpose.
The zone Ia 20 miles long and 10
miles wide. Now II has a population
OF $4,000 or 10000. hut a. soon nv the
work OF construction Us completed.
the towns which make up this popu-
iation viii hc deserted, and only COM
paratively few natives VIII continue
their residence there. The control OF
them ought 10 he Approximately n
military government. one judge and
two Justices OF the peace will be suf-
ncient to attend 20 all the judicial and
litigatcd business there H. With
few fundamental laws OF congress. the
zone should be governed by the ar
ders of the president, issued through
the war department. as u is today.
Provisions can be made for the guar
antics of life. liberty, and property.
but beyond those. the government
should be that OF military RESERVES
ton. managed IN connection With this
great highway OF trade.
Furnishing suppIys and itcpair~.
In my last annual message I dis
Guessed al length the reasons for the
governments assuming the task OF
w ~ HhtlfH Anhh NH' W.
canal. whether our own naval vessels
or others. the supplies OF coal and
other necessities with which thoy
must be rcplenished either before or
after passing through the canal. to-
gether with the dock facilities and
repairs OF every character. This u IN
thought wise to do through the gov
ernmeni. because me government
must establish for itself, for It's own
naval vessels, large depots and dry
docks and warehouses, and these may
easily be enlarged 30 as 20 secure To
tho world puoiic using the canal rca-
sonaole prices and certainty that
there viii be no discrimination be-
tween those who wish to avail them
selves OF such faciiitiCs.
Tolls.
renew my recommendation with
respect Ia the tolls for the canal that
within limits. which shall seem wise
to congress. the power ~ fixing tolls
be given 10 the president, In order
o. arrive NJ a proper conclusion, there
must be some experimenting. and this
can not he done " congress does not
delegate the power to one who can
act expcdlilously.
Power Exists ca Relieve American
shipping.
am very confident that the United
states has the power 10 relieve from
the payment OF tolls any part of our
shipping that congress deems wise.
We own the canal. II was our money
thai built Il. We nkve the right TO
charge tolls for lis use. Those tolls
utlst be ths. satur 10 everyone, hut