The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-12-01


canal purposes. the United States had malevolent
territorial designs toward all Central and South
America
NO one had any conception that progress on
the canal would be as rapid as it has proved to
be- Much more time was spent in talking prior
to the beginning of operations than has been spent
since in digging Now that it is long in the past,
the country is perhaps forgetful but it may be
of interest to remember that for many weary
months the congress of the United States gave
Itself over to debate discussions and even bick
erings upon the relative values of two routes for
the waterway the Ncaraugan route and the Pan
ANA route.
Senator Morgan of Alabama who died a few
years ago, was advocate of the Nicaraugan
route He was an old man at the time that he
undertook to voice sentiment and argument on
behalf of the more northern waterway. He
worked night and day, studying the questions In
volved from every possible viewpoint and the long
speeches which he made on the matter in hand
written almost entirely by his own hand
He was indefatigable in labor, and what he did
on behalf of the Nicaraugan route and on behalf
of the waterway scheme generally is best told
in the words of Senator Jonathan F. Dolver OF
Iowa Doliver, like Morgan is dead. The lowan
was in favor of the Panama route, while the
Alabaman was in favor of the Nicaraugan route
The two men were opposed to each other polit
ically, but they we're personal friends When bit
ter disappointment came 10 Morgan III tue uHoi
defeat of the Nicaraugan project Dolliver rose in
his seat and paid this tribute to his aged col
league:
"He stands here in his old age, one of the his
toric figures connected with this canal contro-
versy He may not be the man who began the
discussion. but for nearly generation he has
kept it up No man has ever exhibited within our
knowledge any such marvellous industry, energy
and sagacity as he has put into the argument for
the Nicaraugan canal Day and night he has la
bored not with the assistance of others, but per-
sonally often with his own pen writing the
speeches which have become the chief part OF
the agitation which has resulted in unifying public
sentiment in the United States In favor of the
canal.
81 regret more than can say that he was dis
appcinted in his own personal ambition in respect
to the route that finally was chosen, but that
does not prevent me from adding that long after
the little controversies of this hour forgotten,
his name will be connected in immortal reputa-
ton with the Isthmian canal wherever 1t is built
Few people probably have forgotten the first
attempts of President Roosevelt and Secretary OF
War Taft to secure the service of civilian engi-
neer who would stick at his post until the Panama
canal was dug. Three great engineers, one after
another resigned their positions as engineersin-
chief
led to the designations of the civilian engineers.
An sorts of stories we're told, from the fear Of
yellow fever to inability to maintain discipline in
the working forces 1t is probable that engi-
neers ears tingled for a long time with the re-
buke which was given him by Secretary of War
Taft. who is now the president of the United