The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-25
COCKTAILS CANAL GOVERNOR.
Ma, Hold That once and Then
Come t0 New York.

MAsiiISuroS. Ian. 2+.-Thc new civil
government In Inc Panama Canal Zone
will ~ put into force by President Will
-on within sixty days. 1t IL the intention
Of the Administration 10 appoint col
George ". Goethals az the first Governor.
and the general understandings here IL
that the canal builder viii sery. IN this
capacity until the canal IL completed and
formally opened To the vessels of the
world According 10 present plans this
Will he on January /, 1915.
A careful reading OF col. tiorthais's
letter TO Mayor Mitchell by his friends H.
Washington has convinced them that
col Cocktails never contemplated leaving
the Canal Zon. to accep, the Police Com
m.ssionershsp OF New York until the
great waterway was formally opened.
The confusion that has arisen IN regard
20 Col. Cocktails acceptance OF the Police
COmmissi onership seems To be due chiefly
u the mistaken idea that II appointed
Governor Of the Canal Zone II would be
FOR h term OF four or i've years.
Col. Goethsls never contemplated re-
naming In he Canal Zone as Governor
or In any other capacity beyond IN. date
when he should turn the canal over In
perfect condition. This will be- at least
II year from now and IL is thought Col.
Cocktails has no thought OF accepting the
Police Commissionershlp before that time.
The White House has not formally
communicated with Col. Goetheis as yet
with regard to accepting the governor
ship Of the zone. but he understands that
h. can have the place. II became known
to-day that the Administration is DESTROYS
now that thu chang" in government In the
Canal Zon. should he effected a. soon az
possible The change viii come. AZ pro-
vided 10y statute. through an order 10y the
/ President terminating tae tenure OF the
al Il
believed. dissolving the commission Itself.
The efforts Of members OF the Canal
! Commission to remain IN office until the
/ formal opening have been chiefly respou-
/ sible for the delay in putting into eject
! the civil government, which was author
ICED by law enacted year ago.
Col Gocthals has repeatedly urged
+ upon officials in Washington the necessity
for immediate action IN this direction. II,
/ has rOntended that II Is impossible &c
organize and train AN operating force un
der present conditions and has insisted
that "a one man government was neces
sary III order to organize IA an effective
way for the opening
Members OF III. Canal Commission
through their friends IA Washington. hav'
urged that they should not be deprived o
the honor OF participating officially in mi!
! event Of worldwide Importance. To NEE
these objections there has been talk re
| cPntiN or Some DpSSlNle drraIetIlltUl ".
| which these members OF the conmiss io
might be allowed to remain as fgurchead
FOR the opening celebration. The ind,ca
| tions now however. are that the Idea o
the members OF the commission reta!nin
such sinecurcs for year does not Ap
peal to the business acumen Of The lead
.rs In Congress.
The President also. 1t IL understood, IN
come around to the View that the perma
: upnt government ~ the Zon" should b
: established az soon as possible and tina
col. Go.thals should be put IN complet
; control without any strings To hampe
him.
: II this course IL followed Richard I
M-tcslf., who WAS formerly editor of Sec
, rotary Bryan's paper and Is now men
= Der of the Canal Commission. Will he OF
} OF a job. IL WAS Mr.. Metcalf-, who ate
, "A few months on the canal. proposed
scheme OF commission government whic
he considered much preferable 10 tn, pla
that Col. Goethals had proposed MITE
years Of actual experience.