The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-04-16

closer to New York than California
or Oregon. 1t brings Seattle 1900
miles nearer to New York; San
Francisco, $500 miles nearer TO
New Orleans; Honolulu, $500 miles
nearer New Y ork than by the Strait of
Magellan; Yokohoma Is A, 900 miles
nearer to New York; Melbourne.
300 miles nearer to Liverpool
This shows not only an economic
saving in transportation, but it spells
the development of all the untouch-
ed western coast of South America
and Mexico. 1t establishes a for
eign commerce in our Mississippi
Valley and Gulf states. and it
means commercial and industrial
awakening in the Pacific Coast States
and Western Canada. 1t will not
only pay for its maintenance, but
will bring a return for the money
invested, and in one hundred years
will be able to replace completely
the original capital expended.
Roosevelts Activity
Ex- President Roosevelt was the
first President to hold the sceptre
over the Panama Canal. Congress
had issued it's uitimatum to the effect
that Mr. Roosevelt could build a
canal through Panama, providing he
could negotiate treaty with Co
lombia who then owned Panama,
his alternative being to build Que
through Nicaragua. Mr.. Reosevelt's
unwillingness to accept the alterna-
tive of Congress, encouraged rev.
olution in Panama, whereat, as T.
r. says with frank modesty; I took
Panama, and left Congress to debate
it later" Thus was the greatest
project launched. The canal would
not have progressed so rapidly had
it not been for lack of friction and
the most satisfactory cooperation
between Congress and the officials
in charge. Another time-sa was
Mr.. Roosevelt's eliminating as much
red-taLe as possible by putting his
faith in Col. Goethals and putting
Col. Goethals in complete charge of
the work, which was master stroke
of far sightedness.
Congress decided that the Panama
Canal should be regarded as part
of the military defense and it is now
fortified so that it is practically i'm
pregnable to naval attack. These
defenses consist of large forts at
either end of the canal. with field
works for 5000 massed troops. The
defenses on the Pacific side will be
stronger than those on the Atlantic.
At the forts on the Atlantic side are
four IL inch guns, sixteen
IL inch mortars, six inch guns and
four 4 7-10 inch howitzers. There
are also two big IA inch disappear
ing guns.
Pacific Coast Defense
At the Pacific end, the defense will
be Or the east side. 1t consists of one
Is inch gun. six IA inch guns and
eight + 7-1O inch howitzers. The
16 inch gun is the largest ever built.
1t carries projectile weighing more
than a ton for distance of Fl miles.
There will be stationed permanent
ly at the Isthmus three regiments of
infantry, one squadron of cavalry,
one battalion of field artillery and
twelve companies of coast defense
troops. 1t will thus be seen that we
are at least prepared for war on our
southern boundary. 1t may be in
teresting to know that under the
Hay Pouncefote Treaty, the United
States had no right whatever to tor
tify the Isthrnus but England cor
ceded the right of the United States
to do so.
President Taft in 1912 recon-
mended TO Congress the passage of
a law fixing the tolls and provid-
ing for permanent operation of the
canal. Under the Permanent Canal
Laws are stated the terms under
which the canal may be used by the
shipping world. 1t authorities the
President to prescribe, and from time
to time to change the tolls that shall
be levied by the Government of the
United States. No tolls may be
levied on vessels passing through
the canal from one United States
port to another. Vessels carrying
ballast are rated lower than vessels
in cargo. For ships of commerce
81 % ton is the maximum toll,
that excludes vessels of the United
States and her citizens who pay
cost of the maintenance
Of the canal. The toll for each pas
senger was fixed at not more than
S1.50. An ordinary ship will pay