The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-17
Isthmian Canal Commission Recommends Many
 Changes in Zone
WORK ON CHARGES
 FOR TRANSPORTATION
Recommends Government Ownership of Public Utilities in Canal Zone and Maintenance of Milf
 tary Government

Ing of the Panama canal, the lsthihian canal commission. in it's annual repor- made public today, recommended con gressional legislation governing canal tolls. organization for the operation Of the canal and for government of the canal zone. utilization of canal revenue invested and other action. Expedition was urgently demanded in order to advise the commercial world Of the use 1t may make of the great waterway or the cost of sending ships through 1t and just when it will be opened.
 The commission wished to give at least IS months notice of the rates to permit the worlds maritime inter ests time to readjust their routes and to build new ships and organize new transportation companies. It was also deemed desirable to put the canal to use as early as possible, not only to secure financial returns on the enor- nous amount invested, but to make possible the passage of the worlqs fleets without confusion or delay.
 Ready in 1913
 The report showed that the enst- neers, board has already found that all the concrete in the great Gatun locks will be laid by June 1, 1912, and five months later the locks on the Pacific side will be finished except the gates, which will be ready June l, 1915. Meantime. by April I, next, the giant spillway at Gatun would be at tile 50 foot elevation and the entire dam there would be completed by the following winter The excavation through tho ovfl 1icr. ging enterprise the world has ever seen, will be completed July l, 1913, if the slides are not in excess of the esti- mates. In that case the exterior chan mel will be sufficiently advanced to pass the shipping that would use the canal.
 Though these estimates were made year ago the commission states that there is no occasion to make any consideraple changes. Though the concrete laying Tn the Gatum Locks will be moved back a few months to January. 1, 1913, this Will Xot delay the erection of the gates or the completion of the work as a whole.
 Time can be saved by making public announcement of the rates to be charged and the formulation CT rules by which the tonnage or ships is to be determined. The commis- sion is already preparing much informa- tion on these points for the guidance of Congress in legislating next session.
 To Retain Workers
 The commission expressed the belief that it can secure the best operating force for the canal from among the workers now employed on the canal. High wages were paid at the outset when 1t was difficult to obtain men on account q the bad reputation of the country ana the temporary character of the employ ment But the commission contended that as the death rate on the zone is much lower than for most parts of the United States and as the operating work will be permanent, a much lower wage scale can be adopted The commission regard ed it as essential that the cost of oper- ating shall be reduced to minimum con- sistent with efficiency if reasonable tolls are to be established
 The total outlay for maintaining the canal will be for wages of the operative force, engineering work. sanitation and civil administration. The commission was insistont that the revenue of the canal should go to pay not only the op- erating expenses, but to repay the eapltai invested Every legitimate means Tor raising revenue should be adopted said the report which recommended that the government should not only supply coal and oil for it's own vessels but should
 
 The existing commissary, manufactur- ing plant and laundry. 1t was urged, should be continued for the benefit of gov ernment forces and government owner ship of public utilities was proposed in a recommendation that the commissary furnish all these things to shipping pass ing through the canal for considera- tion It was suggested that the govern ment should sell tools and appliances needed by ships and still another forward movement should actually undertake to dock and repair ships in the neighbor-' hood of the canal. For that purpose the construction of dry dock and ma chine shop was recommended: and 1t was pointed out that these would be avail able for the use of our navy. A wire less station for naval and commercial use was another adjunct required
 Disposition of Land
 The commission has given much thought to the disposition of land in the canal zone. impo.gant because of it's bearing upon the future administration of the zone and the operation of the canal. or the 43G square miles of land in the zone the government owns 36S of which s6 miles are occupied by the canal. A large part of the government land will be required for military, naval and other official purposes. It was deemed essential that the Spanish law shall continue to pre- wall to prevent friction with the neigh boring Panamanians in the cities of Pan anna and Colon. sle
 Most of the land is unsuitable for ex- tensve farming enterprises and the in- d,icements are not such as would at- tract American farmers. owing to diffi- cuties in obtainng title and the 6pe- cuiarties of the Spanish system of taxa tion which must be continued. Other oc- cupants than Americans are not desira- ble The commission wants to get rid of the great body of foreign laborers. who were imported to dig the canal as soon as the work is completed.
 They now populate the established town titos and the commission declared that they should l,e repatriated after w.'l'' no longer can be given them. It was stated that the greater the amount Of lanl leased. and the number of iowa sites es- tablshed aud 1ccliped tlie greater Wul be the cost of sanitation and civil gov etnmenf. sss,t.t5
 The report declared that for several years to come at least if should be the policy to keep all government lsiils .or government purposes Whatever miiltdly !. force k located on the lsthrus VIII be 8 charged with It's own sanitation aiiie v rcservatio,l Of all lands for governmental tue would result, therefore. in minimum cost for. these two. items.
 As to tile form of government fpr the -- ---->~~
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