The Washington herald., 1912-02-04
ny JAMES D. MoRRow.

toes is taxpayer, though he may livl
in a rented house. So every one pay
taxes, and so every one is helping to dil
the Panama Canal
The artificial waterway piercing th'
hemisphere is, TO use President Taft'i
descriptive language, ''the greatest con
structive work since the Christian era. >
il is an epic in engineering. wrought out
with steam shovels and explosives
Giants are engaged upon the task. The
world coDcedes the immensity Of the un'
dertaking But in what way will II ad-
vantage the incOnspicuous American who
buys a pound of butter or a calico dress
for his wife? He is a heavier taxpayer
relatively, than John d. Rockefeller.
The question and others. elementary
and significant, were put TO DR.. Emory
Richard johnson, the distinguished eX-
pert in transportation by land and water
No other man in the country was so
competent to give the facts and philoso-
ply essential to a conclusive reply Dr.
Johnson has been professor Of transpor-
tation and commerce at the University
of Pennsylvania for sixteen years lie
is helping to write an economic history
Cf the United States for the Carnegie In
stitution The national government has
repeatedly asked for his services in trade
and railway matters. He was a member
OF the Isthmian Canal Commission at
one time, and Is now preparing reports
for Congress and President Taft con-
cerning the Industrial and commercial
value OF the canal, together with infor-
nation and his views pertaining TO toll
age.
The Canal and the Citizens.
THE question as you phrase it is hard
10 answer DIR. johnson said. by the
term average citizen you mean, sup
pose. the so-called ultimate consumer.
the purchaser Of meat, bread. furniture,
and clothing. The benefit Of the canal
cannot be direct to such a person-that
is he will not be enabled at the end
Of each day to count the money the canal
has put into his pocket. The results OF
the canal must, indeed. be general One
cannot coin the sunlight or the rains that
help the crops. Fresh air promotes
health, but 1t will mot purchase roast
at the butcher shop, even though II as
sists one to earn money with which 20
obtain rOasts and the necessaries OF life
The Panama Canal is no more than
a transportation proposition. II Is way
I,y water over which there is to be an
easier and cheaper method for the eX-
change Of commodities. Theoretically
and practically. We believe. it will bring
about new competition in the hauling OF
products to market, and that Will tend
to lessen. the price Of carriage. Also, 1t
will open new markets. When there Is
an additional means of transportation.
and a less expensive means, the con-
sumner ought to gain in consequence. Still, |
there are other economic elements to
be considered-the enforcement or non
enforcement of the law against trusts, for |
instance. Moreover. there is now wide !
price gap between the wholesaler and re- |
taller. VIII it be bridged by legislation, /,
or can the edges be brought closer to-
sether?
From 1890 until Mr. Roosevelt became /
President no serious effort was made to
manage the trusts. They grew and gov
arned without hindrance, developing into
I national problem through public neg
eCt. Large trusts and smaller combina-
ions, as among dealers in food, will
subtract from the beneficial re-
suits that the canal would bring about
we're trade free from control and re-
straint. Thus We must measure the pos
sible advantages Cf the canal TO the
iverage citizen as you call him, only
lfter making allowance for the economic
conditions prevalent in the country. Con-
yress and the courts can enlarge the ben
fits. I would dare go no further in an
lttempt TO answer your inquiry.
Reducing Mileage and Time.
"a new water route connecting our
astern and western coasts, we know, IS to
,e opened to the ships of the United States
IN January !, 1915. A ten-knot freight /,
-essel, bound from New York to San
Francisco, now sails around the end of
south America, travelling the 131S5 sea
niles in from fifty-five to sixty days. !
The same ship will steam but 5,22 sea
niles in going from New York to San
Francisco by way Of the Panama Canal :
)nly from twenty-one to twenty-five days
viii be required for the voyage. A fifteen
mot passenger ship will cover the dis
ance in about fifteen days. Such are
he figures. They give great latitude to =
he imagination. When one takes up a
encil and piece OF paper, however, and I
ses the average citizen as a basis for 6
one is confronted by prob !
I'm unsolvable except by the Maker Of e
ne universe I
What part of the country will be the [
lost greatly affected by the canaI?" {
That part east of Illinois, including the s
'wer peninsula OF Michigan, and north b
the Ohio and Potomac rivers. Its s
rea is one-ninth of the total area OF the b
'nited States, but it produces one-half S
the manufactured products. It makes Il
lore things, sells more things, and ships II
larger variety Of things than any other C
-gion. The Northeastern seaboard re- n
elves nitrates from Chile, lumber, fruit, cl
nd grain from the Pacific Coast wool o
nd hides from Australia; teas, silk, and D
Irios from the Orient. and sugar, spices, Il
lite, hemp, rice, vegetable oils, and gums d
'om the British and Dutch East Indies. b
Lany Of these products are raw ma II
'rials, and are worked up in the thou n
lnds OF manufactures scattered through tr
ew England, New York, and the States OF
stween Illinois and the Atlantic coast. C
hree-fourths OF the raw silk used in
lat region comes from countries in the to
acihc, and large quantities Of wool are
ought in the west part of South Amer m
a, Mexico, China, and Australia. er
The manufacture of fine goods re- fr
lires considerable Australian wool. "
ost OF which is purchased IN England fr
he wool is first shipped to london oil
here II Is unloaded and stored Amer-i- | T.
ms must pay such charges, as well as &C
guar commissions to selling brokers | ca
he distance from New York to Australia OF
? the way of the Cape of Good Hone is tn
COS nautical miles. The distance will th
reduced TO 9,S52 miles by the Panama or
NAL ce
Many Things should BE Cheaper. ce
"A ten-knot ship-and ships of a N
CHER speed are not economiesl as ar
save about fifteen dsys ce
using the shorter route. London de
arges for sellins. storing, and Sd ON IN
erefore, will be done away with and II
I'm all. the American manufactIIreT ~ ~
ght to lower the cost of productjon - -
the woolen industry expands in the Az
lifted States-and there is plenty Of
ON for eXpansion-more and more of !.
9 woods Of South America, South Az q.
q, China and Australia will be con-