Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-12-16
Land Transportation interests
Place Obstacles in Way OF
Ship Owners.


WASHINGTON. ~ c., Nov. 20. -
J Obstacles thrown in the way of tho
! organization of the Atlantic aud Pacl
I iic Transport company, which were
| laid before President TAFT this week
by Bernard n. Baker, president Of the
company, are but manifestations oil
the determination of the trans-coa'
tinctal railroads TO prevent the people
of the whole United states from cn.
Joying the benefits which may accrue
to them from the const uction of the
Panama canal. This fight has been
going on for many years and doubt
never has existed In the minds Of men
genuinely interested In the building
of the canal as to the source OF the
opposition.
1t Is, of course. known fact that
the principal American steamship
lines which have been running to Pa
mama in recent years, excepting only
that owned by government on the At
ldntic side have been owned by the
railroads or controlled by thom. SEN
ator Joseph l.. Bristow, in his report
on transportation facilities of Panam 1
in 1905 and 1908, brought out the fact
that for a number of years prior to
American acquisition If the canal p'o-
pcrty bonus OF $1,000 600 annually
has been paid to the privately owned
and comparatively insignificant Pa
mama Railroad company, so great was
The fear that transportation by this
route might reduce railroad rates on
the transcontinental roads In the
United States.
Admits Railroads intcrfered.
Agitation for the building of n canal
either across Nicaragua or Panama
was the next stage OF the situation.
A prominent government official then
engaged In a semipublic capacity In a
western state, was deeply interested
from the outset In the agitation for a
canal. He saw the Nicaraguan pro-
!cct rise and fall In the favor of con-
rress and he watched with increas.
ing interest the fate of the Panama
canal education. In the midst of II
he addressed to every member of con-
gress west of the Mississippi river
letter asking for the reasons of the
opposition of western senators and
to this proposal. lie
received an answer from nearly all of
them, but only one member from a
far western state had the courage 10
tell the whole truth. lie frankly adj
.nitted that the railroads, meaning tho
transcontinental railroads would not
let the western members favor either
the Nicaragua or Panama canal. or
course, history shows that this OPP
position was eventually overcome.
Now that the canal Is an assured fac;
he transcoptinental railroads are lay
ing their plans. according to the best
information obtainablc here. to con-
'iol the water transportation which
goes through II.
Toll Rates a Factor.
Toll rates are m4ttcr of import
ance to the success OF water trans
portation. II The tolls are placed too
high, while II still may be poss be
Tor ships to carry freight through the
ranal at rate practically equal to
the present railroad rate over the
Iranscontinenial roads the general
American public would. Of course. re-
reive no benefit from such a situation.
In the second place, after the canal Is
finished II Is not unlikely that any
company entering into
he coast to coast trade will have to
run with the expectation that until
It's trade Is built M on both coasts