Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-29
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Isthmus Canal Commission
Nominated.
PROBABLE PRESIDEN T
WILL BE REAR ADMIRAL JOHN q.
WALKER.
Lands Opened for Settlement May
Hereafter Be Sold at Auction
Payne Not to Be Chairman.

President Roosevelt today sent to the
Senate his appointments of the isthmian
canal commission. follows;
Rear Admiral John G.. Walker, U. 8.
navy, retired
Gen. George w. Davis. U. 8. army. re-
tired.
Frank ]. Hecker, Detroit Mich.
William Barclay Parsons, New York.
William H. Burr. New York.
c. Ewald Grunsky. San Francisco.
Benjamin M. Harrod New Orleans.
The commission, as constituted by the
President, is essentially a body of engi-
neers, six of the seven members having
distinguished themselves in engineering
works. The law under which the commits
sion was created, provided that four OF
the members should be skilled In the
science of engineering. Col Hecker is the
only man on the commission who may be
classed as distinctively business man. He
Is a. man of large affairs and, during the
SpanIsh-Amerfcan war, served the govern
ment as director of transportation.
Rear Admiral Walker probably Will be
president of the new commission. He has
been identified with this governments in.
vestigation OF isthmian canal routes for
many years and is regarded as the best in.
formed man in the country on that subject
1t is expected that the appointments will
Senate, as it is the desire of all Interested
in the canal work that operations should
begin as soon possible An intma ton
has been made that fight might be made
In the Senate on the appointment of Mr.
Harrod.
Arrangements already have been made
for an early visit to the isthmus of Panama
by the commission. 1t seems likely now
that the commission, as body, will go to
Panama within month. Preliminary work
Will be begun Immediately. Already Adj
miral Walker, who, as the head of the old
commission, has the isthm;an canal matters
well in hand, is in receipt of thousands Of
applications for positions in connection
with the canal work. The applications
come from engineers, physicians, laborers
and every other class of men who may be
employed in any capacity by the commits.
sion. While many men will be employed
ON the canal, it probably will be some time
before the work Is In full swing.
The Only Disappointment.
The composition of the commission,
great engineers and successful business.
professional executive men, has received
unstinted praise even from the politicians
who sought to have friends and favorites
appointed on the body. The President has
taken much care in selecting the material
and is satisfied that under the direction OF
this commission the work of constructing
the canal will go forward under every
modern condition and promise of success
The nomination of B. NJ. Harrod was de-
cided upon after a thorough investigation
OF the charges against him. The Presl-
dent came to the conclusion that there
was nothing in the charges to prevent Mr.
Harrod having his confidence.
The one disappointment to the com-
mission viii be among medical men of the
country. The legislative council of tha
American Medical Association has been
strongly and persistently urging the Presi-
dent to select a representative Of their
profession for the commission, taking the
position that the sanitary conditions that
would be met with in Panama demanded
scientific knowledge Less than a week ago.
after the President had practically decided
upon every member of the commission he
received long petition from the chair.
man OF the committee on medical legs-
lation of the association, setting forth that
under both of the French administrations
at the 1sthmus the engineering problems
themselves failed of accomplishment largely
through the frightful mortality among of,
1cers and laborers, and urging that there
should be member of the medical pro-
Iesslon i on the commission, with authority
TO insist upon proper sanitation among all
classes OF workers. The petition concluded
by asking the appointment of Col w c.
Gorgas, U. s. A, yellow fever expert and
surgeon In the army. He Is at present CHIEF
surgeon of the department Of the east
stationed at Governors Island New York
He was chief surgeon of the United States
army at Havana, and sanitary officer of
tary government. May 90 1902 He was
praised by Secretary Root for the brilliant
character of his work and his scientific
achievements.
Opening Lands to Settlement.
President Roosevelt has an idea that the
auction plan will be the best for the gov.
ernment in the sale of lands that are here
after opened for settlement, and he is talk
ing with western senator's and representa-
tives that he may procure their views on
the subject. His ideas are original and ,f
carried out would mean a complete revolu-
ton of methods heretofore In existence
relative to the settlement of newly opened
public lands. Representative Martin of
South Dakota talked with the President on
the subject today, giving sis opinion that
the sale of lots to the htgheNt bidder would
prove impracticable and unwise Purely
from the financial point of view, Mr. Mar
tin believed that in case where several
thousand tracts were opened to settlement
the government would lose money by the
loss of interest before the close of the sale.
His belief is that the first few lots would
go at high prices, and after that the sale
would drag, the prices being below values.
InaSmuch as there Will probably be an
opening of large part of the Rosebud In
dian reservation, in Gregory county, s. D.,
in which 10000 acres will be free to set
tlement, the South Dakota delegation in
Congress is in favor of the old method Of
fixing what is regarded as a fair price for
the lots and letting them go in that man.
ner. The government has never had any
regular method of procedure in such cases.
but that of fixing the prices on lands to be
opened has been the one most generally
adopted, it is stated. The House has pass
ed a bill providing for the opening of
portion of the Rosebud reservation, and II
is now before the Senate, with the under
standing that 1t will become law. In an
ticipation of it's passage the President is
debating in his mind and considering with
officials of the Department of the Interior
the proposition of disposing of the 2,600
160-acre tracts at auction. He is under
stood to be inclined to order such method
when he issues a proclamation opening the
reservation.
A bill has passed Congress providing for
opening to settlement about $50. 900 to 300.-
GOO acres in the Red Lake Indian reserva-
ton in Red Lake county, Minn The Pres-
ident has not issued a proclamation OPEN
ing the land to settlement, but he win soon
do so The details of arranging the set
tlemeni were placed entirely in the hands
OF the Secretary of the Interior. The Press
ident may apply the auction plan of dis
posing of the tracks to this reservation.
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