The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-02-20
Colonel COethaIs So Reports to the
President = No Danger Of
Slides-Says Adequate
Defense Provided
FAVORS CHARGING
ALL VESSELS TOLL
Opposes Transfer Of Canal Machiu-
cry to Alaska Agricultural
Committee Ready to Re-
port Bill to House

Telegram by United Press.
Washington, Feb. 20.-The Panama
canal will probably be operated July I.
This is the estimate Of Col. Goethals,
who arrived here today to report to the
present.
Goethals said there was no danger
Of slides close to the waterway. al
though minor slides were a possibility
when the water reaches its full level
in the sur.
Col. Goethals said the defenses We're
practically completed. He denied that
the canal was inadequately protected.
He said he had always favored charg-
ing every vessel that used the canal.
Goethals indicated that he expected
to remain in the states several months
visiting his son. II is understood that
he viii ask an appropriation of twenty
three million dollars to complete tho
canal, an increase Of seven million five
hundred thousand over the present
fixed appropriation.
Goethals is against the plan to trans
fer the canal construction machinery
TO Alaska for the construction OF a rail-
road. holding that new machinery
would be cheaper than the Transports
tion Of the canal equipment.
4 am not in politics" said Col.
Goethals regarding the New York po-
lice commissionership and the report
that he will run for governor of New
York as a Bull Moose.
Chairman Lever Of the house com
mittee on agriculture Thursday com
pleted the annual agricultural appro-
priation. It aggregates sls,947 900 ex-
elusive Of permanent appropriations.
an increase Of $960,0000 over last
years total.
The bill is accompanied by the most
comprehensive report ever submitted
by the committee.
Many radical changes are proposed,
including regulation of the weather
bureau and preparation by the secre-
tary of agriculture Of plan for the re-
organization and systematizing depart
ment work. The report sets forth that
the department is now developed to
point where its present system of
bureau organization has become cum
bersome and is not as efficient as it
should be-" The bill contemplates
that existing bureaus should be rear
ranged to cover five or six main lines
OF work, such as the reseay III, rural
organization. state relations, weather
and forest service.
The bill appropFiates $4,000 to en-,
courage agricultural development OF
the government reclamation projects
through demonstrations and advice to
settlers. An increase of $4,000 over
the present appropriations is provided
Tor cooperation with states in the pro-
lection from fire Of the forested water
sheds of navigable streams.
To increase the benefits from ma
tional forests, the bill would authorize
the secretary Of agriculture to rest or
lease to responsible parties or corpora
tions, for not exceeding twenty years
portions of ground for construction of
hotels. summer resorts. residences,
stores or other building for recreation
or conveniences. The forest service
appropriations would total S5.54S. .256.
The bill appropriates ss7S,400 for
cooperative farm demonstration work
in the south. an increase Of $4,000 for
the boil weevil and 100000 for such
demonstration work in sections other
than the south, an increase of $35. 900