The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-12-10
NOT AWAKE TO
CANAL BENEFITS
ohm Barrett Says We Are Letting
Business Slip by


Atlanta, Ga, Dee l0.--lt is necessary
that the south and in fact the entico
country should realize without delay
certain plain facts about the Panama
canal said John Barrett dircctl!
| General of the Pan American union,
before the Panama Canal conference
! here today.
There is real danger that in our re-.
joicins over it's early completion ana
IN our pride over the great engineer
Ing achievements we shall overlook do
ms the practical things upon which the
successful use of the canal depends.
There is equal danger that We are
doinG impractical things which Will So.
iiously handicap it's value TO MS.
= am not an alarmis: but telling the
truth when say that there is going to
be widespread disappointment through.
out the country at our slowness Ia
realizing large approciable' and imnc-
date benefits from the canal
~ vail OF protest will surely 20 M
from The country withil year or twn
after the canal is opened to trade thar /
fhc harbors OF the Atlantic ana Pacific
coasts are not filled with the shipping (,
and that the manufacturing plants OF /
the country are not overwhelmed with I,
the orders. which are expected as n
result OF its construction.
There is no use denying these posi-
Die canal conditions which tbs county
may meet. II may not be q popular
-hing for me to SAY this but am
forced to tell the truth as see it IN
order 10 awaken that attitude Of the
people and that action OF our govern.
nent which can change absolutely
his prospective hut unfortunate situa- }
ion. Z
In the first place, the canal tolls at
No dollar and twenty-five cents l
Fl,25) a net ton are undoubtedly too e
Ugh. They should be placed at tn. u
oWest figure permitted by Congress :
-Seventy-tve cents $50 ton. only y
y the use Of the latter figure can ". /
ct the greatest use or the Cana i'm $
he shortest possible time after it is u
pened. one dollar and twenty-fiN j.
ents tSl2O = ION means speculation II
to possibilities and hesitation as - CO
lrge shipping preparations for IN. 7
Sc oil the canal Seventy live cents Il
800 ton would mean that evcr, ~
oSsihle utilization would bc mad. nl j.
without delay j.
In the second place, there is very lit
= orsanized or individual preparation
II the Panama canal among the Great II
organizations and manu- OF
curing interests of the i'ntcd I'll
dtes. They are not study ing Tho ca
arkets ot the countries reached "N
rough the canal as are the CorrcS. 81
rdlng interests of Europe. There are Is
score OF agents OF European ,'ham t'
RS OF Commerce and Of European en-
and importing houses pr
ldJing the markets of South Amer IN
and the Pacific Ocean where there 10
one from the corresponding interest; ST
the United states. fr'
IN the third place. thrr. = alto. be
'her too small prepare ton for tn, SO
nal in the form of the building of pa
ssels TO fly the American nar. \ few gr
being constructed, but even these ieI
paltry in number compared To the IN
operations Of the European ana Jap WI
csc shipyards and shipping com. to
MES. ga
N the fourth place in discussing the cd
yeiopmeni of trade through tho ell
nal, We are considering il too much m'
IN selfish standpoint We are =
MIXING only of our export trade or of in,
lat we will sell. and not enough OF m,
import trade or what we viii bay. cll
change Of products is the lii. of tai
nmerce. We must consider what an
rkets We can provide for the prod tra
IS oi The countries reached through ma
: canal IA well as what we can sell au
them. ca
finally our commercial civic. liter 10 r.
ana educational ORGANIZATIONS and i'm II