Evening star., 1904-03-23
TO GUIDE COMMISSION
The Presidents Instructions
to the Members.
CONDITION OF TENURE
DEPENDENT ONLY ON FAITHFUL
PERFORMANCE OF DUTY.
Matter of Sanitation and Hygiene of
Especial Importance in Digging
the Isthmian Canal.
CONDITION OF TENURE

General instructions to the members of
the isthmian canal commission were con-
tained in a letter from President Roosevelt
to the commission under date of March z
ihe letter, which was read at yesterdays
meeting of the commission. is as follows:
WHITE HOUSE, Washington.
March 8. 1904
Slrs: have appointed you as the COM
mission which is to undertake the most i'm
portanf. and also the most formidable engi-
neering feat that has hitherto been at
tempted. You are to do a work the doing
OF which, IL wen DONE will reflect high
honor upon this nation, and when done win
be of incalculable benefit, not only to this
nation. but to civilized mankind As Won
yourselves must individually know | have
chosen you with reference to nothing save
my belief, after full and patient inquiry.
that you are among all the available men
OF whom have knowledge those hest fttas
to bring this great task to a successful con-
ciuslon. You have been chosen purely be-
cause or your personal and professional
regulations for integrity and ability. You
represent the whole country. You repre-
sent neither section nor party have moi
sought to find out the politics of a single
one of you, and indeed as to the majority
OF you nave not the slightest idea what
your political affiliations are. / believe that
each one of you will serve not merely with
entire fidelity, but with the utmost eff
cheney.
When a Change May Be Made.
IF at any time l feel that any one OF
you is not rendering the best service which
1t Is possible to procure, l shall feel called
upon to disregard alike my feelings for the
man and the mans own feelings and forth
with to substitute for him on the commits
SION some other man whom l deem capa-
Die or rendering better service. Moreover l
shall expect il at any time any one of YOU
feels that the work is too exhaustinp ami
engrossing for him to do in the best possible
manner, that he will of his own accord so
INFORM me, In order that may replace him
| py some man who, to the requisite ability
JOINS the VIII and the strength to give all
the effort needed. But long as you rem
der efficient service of the highest type in
the work you are appointed to perform Won
may rest assured of my hearty support and
backing in every way.
Some Principles to Be Applied.
These are the conditions under which
you have been appointed, and under which
shall expect you to proceed. / shall fur
thermore expect you to apply precisely the
same principles In the choice and retention
of the subordnates who do the work under
you as / have applied in your choice and
shall apply in your retention. l shall ex-
pect you to appoint no man for reasons
render you in digging the canal. If hav-
ing appointed any man, you find that your
eXpecta tions about him are not fulfilled or
that from any reason he falls short of his
duty, shall expect you to dismiss him out
of hand; 1 shall expect that under such
circumstances you will pay not the slight
est heed to any backing or influence the
man may have. / assume matter OF
course that in dealing with contractors YOU
will act on precisely the principles which
would apply in any great private business
undertaking. There is no man among you
to whom / think it is necessary to say a
word as to the standard of honesty to be
exacted from every employe or contractor,
for If had had the slightest ground for sus-
picion that there was need to say such
word to any one of you | should not have
appointed him. But | do wish to empha-
size the need of unceasing vigilance in the
performance of this great work.
Matter of Sanitation.
LAS to the details of the work itself I
have but little to say. 1t is to be done
peditiously as possible, and as economically
as is consistent with thoroughness. There
| is one matter to which 1 wish to ask your
special attention. the question of sanitation
and hygiene. You will take measures to
secure the best medical experts for this
purpose whom you can obtain, and you
WILL of course. make the contractors SUBJ
nit implicitly as your own employees TO
all the rules and regula tons of the medical
department under You. | presume you VIII
find it best to have one head for this med
icai department. but that l shall leave to
your own judgment.
THE plans to be carefully made with
a view to the needs not only of the mo-
ment. but of the future The expenditure
are to be supervised vigorously as Il
they were being made for a private cor
porati6n dependent for its profits upon the
returns You are to secure the best talent
this country can AFFORD to meet the condi-
tions created by every need which may
arise The methods for achieving the re-
suits must be yours What this nation VIII
insist upon is that the results be achieved.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
1.-The Isthmian Canal Commission