Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-21
WASHINGTON MATTERS.
Canal Situation Involves Problems
The Legislators Enveloped in Dark.
ness-consress May Not Adjourn
Until Auausf


The Legislators Envsloped in Dark
ness-consress May Not Adjourn
Until August.
Washington, May 20.-The consid-
GRAFTON of the bill to provide for the
administration Of the Panama canal,
which was begun in the house Of rep
resentatives on Thursday, opens a new
chapter In the history Of an under
taking in which the United States has
succeeded where all others have fall
ed. For many generations II has been
the dream of far-seeing men to open
a new pathway between the two
oceans by cutting a strip of land
which connects the continents OF
North and South America and short
ening by weeks, the time ships must
consume to go from the Atlantic to
the Pacific. Tragic failure resulted
from the efforts Of the French govern
ment to build the Panama canal. Few
lessons could be learned by our engi-
neers and statesmen from studying
French methods. Unknown difficult
ties had to be met and new plans de-
vised for meeting them. 1t was done
successfully and the fact that the
opening Of the canal Is assured Is a
tribute to the genius of America The
be enacted practically without prece-
dent. Great problems must be solved,
with little reason and instinct to guide.
Intricate and delicate matters Of Oh
plomacy as well as grave methods Of
administration must be decided. Con-
gress has entered q new field In de-
termining what 1t shall decide for the
regulation of the Panama canal The
answer 1t will make Is to make a new
epoch in United States history and the
history of the world. Men Of all ma
tions as we'll as citizens of this coun-
try are listening to hear what deter
mination Is reached. The regulation
of the Panama canal Is one Of the
most important pieces Of legislation
ever presented to the American con-
gress.
A curious accident occurred in the
Capitol recently that Is said to be the
first instance Of its kind. The house
was holding a late session and the
halls and chambers were brilliantly
lighted with the usual electric bulbs.
About five minutes after the hour Of
adjournment, the machinery that fur
nishes the electric current failed for
some reason, and the entire Capitol
was plunged into absolute darkness.
Members who were on their way
through the corridors were unable to
proceed, and several rather violent
being carried from floor to floor in the
elevator, and the car stopped when II
was half way down, thereby imprison-
ing the unlucky statesman. Pages,
guards, policemen, and clerks were
summoned to find lights and the MEM
bers had to be guided through the al
most stygian darkness by the smoky,
flickering light from uncertain torch
es. 1t Is not known what caused the
sudden darkness, but the matter Is
being investigated.
Congress has apparently settled
down to the conviction that no ad-
journment can take place earlier than
August 1st. Plans for cooling the
chambers of the senate and the house
are therefore being made, in order to
protect as much as possible from the
rigors Of the heated period the states
men who must remain in Washington
at time when ordinarily they would
be seeking cool mountain resorts and
the national Fairgrounds by the sea.
Great exhaust fans are being INSTALL
ed which will exhaust the heated air
from the chambers, 1t is said, every
seven minutes, replacing 1t by air
from the outside that has been con-
Quoted through vaults stored with
tons Of ice. The plan is supposed to
furnish fresh cool air to the laboring
representatives and senators Of the
people. Such measures are necessary,
for the reason that both the house and
senate chambers are entirely shut off
by outside rooms from any immediate
access to the outdoor air. Surmount-
ed as they are by glass skylights on
which the sun beats with all its DOW
er, these rooms would be unbearable
II some such means were not resorted
to to make them more comfortable.