The Panama Canal has steadily risen
in importance until now it is becoming
one of the most patronized ocean thor
oughfares in the world. Its revenues
have been rapidly increasing at}d al
ready its earnings allow a sinking found
to apply to the cost of construction,
over and above maintenance expenses
and interest. The additional project
would cost in the neighborhood of one
billion dollars and would take twenty
years to complete. The cost would be
taken care of by the surplus revenues,
if Colonel Bunau-Yarilla's calculations
are correct. The Times supports his
view and says: "During the past year
it is estimated that the canal earned
about eight million dollars over and
above the costs of operation and the
interest on the outstanding bonds. This
is enough to pay interest on a loan of
two hundred million dollars. With the
revenues front each additional five mil
lion tons increase in traffic, it will be
possible to meet the interest on an extra
one hundred million of bonds for the
carrying on of the work.”
The subject is one that deserves dis
cussion and serious consideration. The
tonnage capacity of the present canal
will be reached by the normal increase
in patronage in far less than twenty
years. Surely our nation is sufficiently
far-sighted to plan for twenty years
ahead.
A SUGAR SURPLUS
Sugar has several times increased in
price because of an alleged shortage
which was later found not to exist.
