Okolona messenger., 1903-07-15

pOees. This Dutch enterprise is almost worthy of
comparison with our building of the Panama canal,
at least far cost is concerned. II involves the
draining Of the great Zuider sea, through a step by
step process that eventually will make dry land Of
the whole Of it.
! First, dyke will be built across the mouth of
the sea- distance Of twenty four miles, at a cost of
SIG OOO, ,OOO After this dyke has been completed
and the inflow of sea water is under control a cor
ner Of the imprisoned sea will be surrounded by
dykes and the water pumped out from an area Of
about 81, 600 acres. This step in the work is fgur-
ed at cost OF e500OOOO, and it is to be followed by
the dikng OF another Of the to the exent Of
249, 900 acres, and then the remainder of the sea
area istO be pumped ont, adding 225, 600 acres to
the total. The cost Of the enterprise complete is
fixed at S7S, 1000, 600.
The work is to be performed by the government
and it will be financed by Che issue of bonds bear
ing per cent interest. The land reclaimed is to
be held by by the government aud and rented to
farmers at a rate sufficient to pay interest and main
tenadce, which is figured at about 81 an acre per
year.
We have compared this Dutch work to our own
enterprise OF building the Panama canal, and it
leads naturally to comparison Of the methods Of
the two countries. For ten years commission ap
pointed by the Holland government has been weigh
ing the Z0der sea project. With the prOverbia
caution of the Dutch everywhere the commissioners
have pondered deeply over every phase Of the IN
dertaking and each year found them drifting lit
tie nearer to the fnal report which the government
has adopted. Here in America ten months was all
too long for OuF canal commission 10 decide upon
the preliminaries OF that greater undertaking. We
went at it with a slap dash that would have given
slOw-mOving burgheFs Of Holland case of nerv-
GUS postratiOn furthermore, expect to finish the
canal, even though it involves twice the work and
twice the cost, liz years against the thirty
three which has been estimated the shortest pos
sible time in which the HOLLAND project can be
brought to completion.
But it is certain that in throwing caution to the
winds aud dashing helter-skelter at every task
which presents itself, either public or private, we
are to he admired above our Dutch friends across
the sea- who proceed about their business with such
cOntemplative slOwness OF motion that one might
think time cTawls instead Of running awayf When
''Jack, !" embalmed ia precious memory BY Mark
Twain, declared to the guide who had been telling
him about Moses and the Isrealites, "Forty years!
Why, Ben HallOwday would put 'em across in forty
hOursn he tOuced the most vibrant chord Of nation
al pride and glOrY, but is it , true note which
hear sOandedf Ia these blistering July days when
tinklng water calls, and the outrageous mountain
shades seem to beckOn, it is hard to work up much
enthusiasm over the spirit Of push which puts 'em
across il forty hours. In TRUTH for the time being
so long as the strenuous is doing such strenu-
Gus business, we must envy the deliberative Dutch
man whO talks ten years before commencing job
which We would do in three, aud whose calm life
flows always 10 such slow and placid currents,