Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-09
CANAL COMMISSION
Placed Under War Depart
ment's Control.
THE STORY Is DENIED
REPORT CONCERNING JOSEPH r.
BISHOP coNTRADICTED.
Not Being Forced by the President on
the Canal Commission for SEQ
retary Of That Body.
THE STORY Is DENIED

President Roosevelt had a long conference
today with Secretaries Hay and Taft and
Attorney General Knox, at which the regu-
lations to govern the isthmian canal COM
mission were determined upon finally. The
regulations will be promulgated formally
later in the day but at the conclusion OF
the conference Secretary Taft gave or1ef
resume of their provisions.
While the creation and work OF the COM
mission is committed by law to the Pres1-
dent. whose authority in that regard Is
practically supreme, the President, by the
regulartion, directs that the commission
shall exercise its powers under the direc-
ton and supervision of the Secretary OF
War.
First Governor Of Zone.
Gen. George w. Davis, the army member
Of the commission. is appointed governor OF
the American zone on the isthmus. Until
the expiration of the Fifty eighth Congress,
the isthmian commission will exercise leg
islative authority over the American strip.
Gov. Davis Is given authority to appoint
one Judge who shall exercise judicial au-
-thority. If, in the opinion or the commis-
sion, an additional judge Is necessary 70 ae the
proper conduct of the judicial work on the
isthmus, the regulations confer on the COM
mission authority to appoint hlm
Secretary Taft explained that 1t mani
testify would be impossible Tor the Frssl
dent. in the exercise of his duties, to give
that personal attention to the canal work
which is absolutely necessary. and as tns
War Department hitherto has exercised
supervisory control over pubic, CIVIL anu
military works and governmental con,,oi ,,o
try. it was deemed advisable that the lsth-
mian commission should operate under tne
direction of the War Deps rtment. Whd6
particular bureau of the war Department
the commission will be under has not been
determined by Secretary Taft, but he lndl-
Gated that 1t might not be the bureau or IN
sular affairs which. he intimated, already
had enough work on Its hands
Auditing the Accounts.
Under the operation of what is known as
the Dockery law, the auditing OF the COM
missions accounts will fall to the duty Of
the auditor of the State Department; but
beyond the matter of auditing the State
Department will not be charged with any
control over the commission. The commits
sion itself will establish an elaborate sys-
tenn of bookkeeping. through which its ac-
counts may be handled very readily by the
State Department auditor.
The commission will report directly to
the Secretary of War as often as he may
direct upon all phases Of its operations. 1t
will be under the same sort OF control OF
the Secretary Of War as Is the Philippine
commission. All directions concerning the
operati tions of the commission are set out
fully in the regulations and recitation is
m ade of all the operations leading up to the
acquisition of the-canal property and the
appointment Of the commission. Some de-
tails still remain to be worked out, but they
are largely administrative in nature and
are not regarded as essential to the regula-
tions themselves.
The Secretaryship.
R. A. Lane Of Massachusetts has been
appointed assistant secretary of the oom-
mission.
He will discharge the duties Of secretary
to the commission until that office is
filed.
There is absolutely no foundati ton in
fact for the story printed in some Of the
morning papers that President Roosevelt
is trying to force down the throats of the
members of the Isthmian canal commission
the selection of Joseph R. Bishop of New
York as secretary of the commission" said
Admiral Walker, chairman of the commits
sion, to Star reporter today. Il am sure
that nothing Of the sort has been attempted
SO far as l am concerned The selection Of
a secretary for the commission lies wholly
within the power of the commission, and 80
far as / know the President has not init
mated any preference for the selection of
a man for the office. 1t Is quite true that
the selection of MIR. Bishop. along with
Gen. O'Prien of New York, Mr. Dominick
Murphy Of Washington, Mr. B. Woodward
of New York. formerly commissioner gen.
eral of the United States at the Paris ex-
position and professor of languages at CO.
lrmbia University, New York has been
discussed by the members Of the commits
sion, but no determination has been reach
ed in the matter / see that l am quoted
as working with the President for the Sc
lection of Mr.. Bishop / do not recall
ever having met Mr.. Bishop. If have
done SO 1 am quite sure that / would not
recognize him should he walk into the office
at this moment"
Gen. Davis to Sail Tomorrow.
Gen. George w. Davis Of the commission.
accompanied by Maj. Black, Eugene C..
Tobey, assistant paymaster in the United
States navy; DR.. Richard l.. Sutton. as
sistant surgeon in the United States army,
and q party Of six will leave New York for
Panama tomorrow. On the arrival of the
party Gen Davis will Immediately assume
charge of the property, which was turned
over to the United States several days ago.
Following Gen. Davis party small par
ties of engineers will be sent to the 18TH
mus from time to time.
Sanitary Improvement Plans.
Col Gorgas and the other sanitary ex.
perts who went on the first trip to Panama
will return for another inspection and te
put into effect the plans which they have
recommended. These plans contemplate es.
tablishing a system of waterworks for the
houses along the canal and determined
war on mosquitoes.
When asked about how the work of con
structing the canal will be done, whether
by contract or by the commission, Admiral
Walker replied that this was a question
that could not be answered for some
months, but that In the end 1t Is more
than probable that bids will be asked fol
the bulk of the contraction. Then it would
be determined whether contracts would bt
let or whether the comBaiasion would find
1t necessary to undertake the work.
Admiral Walker said that he had been ad.
vised by the Agricultural Department oi
the success of the experiments with copper
sulphate in connection with the work o1
sanitation on the isthmus, and that the
commission would probably give the solu.
tion trial, although the members had nc
opportunity as yet to give 1t a practical
test
Iucffce and Mra prftrhard I'd bovo