The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-12

euiskiy sssete1 CO 10 eas A&s1- asA
C The ether. tA.f tas szrs~a &C tie
EecsTxl taxpayers CO The eo~atry wli
e very EzcA reesc~t- Private u
tsr~sss seeking permits 20 build wa,sr~
power dams 10 raviEahas streams
usually Erge tkAt they tAGs inpwuws
navtg&;ica- and tAai II th~y 60 ros
impair navixatsoa they sAoSlt es ~
lowed GO take tcg themselves tie sa-
tire profits Ct the waterpc~ss &c
velcpusat whatever hey rAay Go
By wAy Of relieving the Euverrraeri
of the expense OF improving nasix.r
ton should % given due oonaicsrA-
t.oa- bat Il must 30 apparwri TIA;
there may be p-oet osyont . rsa-
sorably liberal return upoa the rEs-
vate Investment which In q pctenrai
asset O. the government n o&rrytnx
say development II 10 10 oh;ectica
% the retention and css OF such "a
asset by the government tha; . coss
prensnsivs waterway policy viii In
cluce the protection and development
Of the other public usss a water.
which cannot and should not b L.
nored IN making and executing plAns
for the protection and development Ct
navigation IL In also equally cleAS
that inAsmuch N the water power
thus created In or may b N ineiAsss
Of o gsnsral scheme Of waterway In
provsnsnt within he ooastttzticaai
Jurisdiction Of the federal govern
msnt. the regulation Of such water
power hes also within DAT turtsdio-
ton. In my optnioa Constructive
stAtesman1hip requires that legtsla-
don should b enacted which VII Per
NIT he development Of navtgatton In
these great rivers TO 60 hand In hand
With the utilization OF this hy-produes
Of water power. created In the courss
Of the same improvement and that
the general dam act should - %
amended a. TO make ibis possible !
| deem II highly important that the M
ton should adopt . consistent and
harmonious treatment Of these water
power projects, which viii preserve
for this purpose their valrs TO the
government. whose right II In 70 grant
the permit Any other policy In equiv
alent to throwing away q most val
liable national asset
The Panama Canal.
During the past year the work Of
construction upon the canal has pro
crossed most satisfactorily. About
81 per cent OF the excavation work has
been completed. and more than 90 per
| cent of the concrete for ell the locks
| 10 In place. II view Of the great in
| terest which has been manifested az
| to some slides in the Culebra Cut, !
am glad to say that the report OF Col.
Goethals should allay any apprehen-
sion on this point 1t IL gratifying to
note that none of the slides which oc-
CURED during this year would have In
terfered with the passage Of the ships
had the canal, In fact. been In opera
ton, and when the slope pressure s
will have been finally adjusted and
the growth of vegetation will minimize
erosion In the banks Of the cut, the
slide problem will be practically
solved and an ample stability assured
Tor the CuleDra Cut
Although the Official date OF the
| opening has been set for January 1.
1915, the canal will, In fact. from
present Indications. be opened for
shipping during the latter half Of 1919.
No fixed date can as yet be set, but
shipping interests will be advised as
| soon as assurances can be given that
vessels can pass through without un-
necessary delay.
Recognizing the administrative prob
lem In the management Of the canal.
| congress in the act of August "a. 1912.
| has made admirable provisions for
executive responsibility In the control
| of the canal and the government of
the Canal Zone. The problem of most
efficient organization In receiving care
full consideration. 80 that a scheme OF
organization and control best adapted
to the conditions of the canal may be
formulated and put In operation as ex.
| peditiously Is possible. Acting under
the authority conferred on me by con-
gress, / have, by executive proclama-
ton, promulgated the following SEIZED
uie of tolls for ships passing through
the canal, based upon the thorough
report of Emory r. Johnson. special
commissioner on trafio and tolls:
/. On merchant vessels carrying
passengers or cargo. 31.20 per net YES
sci ton-each 100 cubic feet-of actual
capacity.
2. On vessels In ballast without
passengers or cargo. 20 Per cent less
than the rate Of tolls for vessels with
passengers or cargo.
.. Upon naval vessels. other than
transports, GOLFERS. hospital ships. and
supply ships. 80 cents per displace-
ment ton.
4. Upon army and navy transports.
coIhers. hospital ships. and supply
ships. $1.2o per net ton. the vessels
TO be measured by the same rules ~
are employed in determining the net