New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-01
TAFT BRAVES ENEMIES
OF COLONEL COCKTAILS
Unmoved by Democratic tIam-
or, President Will Create Per. :
manent Canal Zone Rue.
WANTS DEFECTS BAFED
New Governor Would RESIGN
Before Formal Opening IN
1915, After Waterway Hal
Demonstrated Efficiency.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Dec. 3l.-The avowed ur-
pose of certain Democrats to opposethe
confirmation Of Colonel George w. toc-
thals as Governor of the Panama Caal
Zone is not regarded as serious b. he
administration. and IN 10 event Will Il
interfere with the purpose Of the Prdi-
dent to put the permanent governmat
OF the Canal Zone into effect, as he Is
authorized to do under the Panama Canl
bill of the last session.
The discussion of the proposed coure
Of the President indicates that those wD
object 10 Colonel Goethals's conhrmata
misapprehend the situation. For instanc
objection IS made to the naming by Pres
. dent Taft of Governor and other oh
cials to serve for the next four year
The fact is that Colonel Goethals. VIII
will be nominated, would not be willin
to serve for the next four years, but. In
stead, would resign the GoYernorshl
shortly before the formal opening, o.
January I, 1915. Furthermore, the OIL
Gals Of the Canal Zone are, under IN
act. to be appointed by the Governor am
may te removed by him or By the Pres!
dent at pleasure.
The rllrpose Of the President In Great
ing at this time the permanent form o
government for the Canal Zone is that an
defects may be discovered and correete
and that the whole force may be IN goo
working order before the formal openin
of the canal 1t is the desire or Colonf
GoethaLs 10 remain in charge or the cana
until its entire practicability has bee
demonstrated. and no longer, and II
eouallv the desire Of the President TO haV
him do so.
Onportunity was afforded to Goyernr
Wilson 10 go 10 the Canal Zone and
confer with Colonel Goethals and with th
President regarding this permanent fort
Of government, concerning when pra'
ticalIy plenary powers are vested In ID
Chief Executive but Mr.. Wilson decrh'
,he opportunity on the ground that III
other duties interfered IL would ther'
fore be with bad grace that the DEM
crafts i'm the Senate would oppose the cor
frnstion Of Colonel Goethals as GoVernq
and confidence IS felt that prompt popuiF
condemnation would be visited upon thoe
who pursued such course.
The canal act specifically delegates
Pho President authority to abolish IL
Canal Commission and TO create III
stead by executive order the permahe'
form Of government whenever IN u
Judgment the Panama Canal shan
| sufficiently advanced toward comWeto
10 render the further services or te
Istbrnian Canal Commission unnecessary
etc. The act was obviously desiend
10 meet precisely the contingency Whih
has arisen, and neither branch OF ca
gress can with good grace refuse to lie
M 20 the spirit of the law or seekto
defeat IL by refusing TO confirm the non-
nation of the Governor.
Colonel Cocktails. having spent may
wears I'm the tropics. has no desire 0
serve i'm the Canal Zone longer than my
be necessary TO establish the permanat
government. to train the operating foe
of the canal. and as has been said, o
demonstrate the practicability OF Ne
great enterprise in which his reputation
is so bound up.
on the other hand. so great has ben
the success of Colonel Cocktails effots.
such remarkable ability has he displayd.
both as a constructor and as an admins
traitor. that any effort of the politiclas
and spoilsmen TO humiliate him or 20 e
fer a step which he regards as essenal
to the welfare and progress Of the canl
would, it IS felt, unquestlonably excite te
most unfavorable criticism on tho partot
the public without regard 10 party atiih-
tons.
Colonel and Mrs Goethals left here lie
to-day for New York 10 spend few d6s
of the holiday season with their son, a
! student at Harvard, who has been sun
1 moned 10 New York TO meet his pareIs.