DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 325

that in the opinion of the geologist there would be damage. I simply wanted
to prevent, and I supposed the Senator would join with me, any insinuation
that the other newspaper at Miami, Governor Cox's paper, was opposing the
canal.
 Mr. VANIDNBEBG. If the other newspaper is or is not opposing the canal, let
the fact be established. I have not said it was or was not. Mr. Shutts has not
said it was or was not.
 Mr. Nom s. I submit Mr. Shutts said it was.
 Mr. VANDENBmRe. Mr. Shutts said he is opposing the canal and considers it
utterly fatal to the welfare of Florida, and he submitted from Governor Cox's
paper a clapping quoting a great geologist as supporting that conclusion. It
does not make any difference to me whether or not Governor Cox is for the
canal or whether or not Shutts is for the canal.
 Mr. Nosaze. Nor to me.
 Mr. VANDzNBEBo. The important thing to my mind is to demonstrate the
division of opinion upon the proposition in Florida solely for this purpose.
 Mr. FLrcHnm. Mr. President, will the Senator permit an interruption at that
point?
 Mr. VANDNBEBO. Certainly.
 Mr. FLWroHE. Miami is 365 miles south of the proposed canaL The canal
would no more affect the water supply of Miami than the Chesapeake & Ohio
Canal, between Washington and Harpers Ferry, affects the water supply of
Washington. I do not believe Mr. Shutts really believes the statement made
in the letter, but, at any rate, I think we might understand that Miami is some-
what concerned because of the apprehension that Miami commerce and trade
might be adversely affected by the construction of the canal. I do not think
that would happen at all. I think it would help Miami commerce and trade
rather than otherwise, but I think that apprehension is at the bottom of the
opposition of Mr. Shutts.
 Mr. VANDENBEBO. Mr. President, I am glad to have the Senator's testimony.
He may put whatever construction he pleases upon the opposition of Miami and
his other constituents in southern Florida. Eighty chambers of commerce and
other civic bodies of Florida have petitioned the President of the United States
within the past 6 weeks to stop this thing lest it ruin them. They may be 300
miles away from the canal, as the Senator says Miami is, and yet they may
still be tremendously concerned about the potential ruin of the great citrus-fruit
industry of Florida, upon which, after all, the great cities of the State rely for at
least a portion of their prosperity and commerce.
 If I had known that this phase of the matter was to be pursued in this par-
ticular fashion-and I am yet so dumb that I fail to understand what the Sena-
tor from Nebraska [Mr. Norris] is trying to inject into the debate-I should
have brought innumerable exhibits fronmthe State of Florida to demonstrate
the very definite reality of fear respecting what may happen to twothlrd of
the peninsula if, as, and when this thing is done.
 That, however, is not the point I make. The point I make is that here is a
situation where we have experts upon one side who say, "Yes; this canal is
going to ruin central and southern Florida"; and we have experts upon the
other side whom, I freely concede, my able friend the senior Senator from
Florida can quote for hours, saying, "No; the canal will not ruin central and
southern Florida." Unfortunately, however, we cannot find out whether the
canal will ruin central and southern Florida until the canal is completed and
in operation, and the ruin has occurred, if it should occur. If it should occur,
and it should happen that the gentlemen in the north of Florida guessed wrong
instead of right, I wonder if the Senate can contemplate the extent of the
damages which central and southern Florida would be asking the Government
of the United States to pay to compensate the State for the Government's wanton
trespass upon the State's fundamental natural resources.
 When we went to Florida to kill the Mediterranean fruit fly we were welcomed
with our millions to kill the fly; and when we had the fly killed-although I
understand there never actually was one-we were asked to pay for all the
fruit we destroyed while we were killing the fly! [Laughter.] Mr. President,
what do you suppose will happen if it develops that this canal does do to central
and southern Florida the horrible thing which so many of its citizens believe it
will do? Inevitably we will confront a climaxin damage charge besides which
$200,000,000 is mere chicken feed.