Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-15
PANAMA LAl,AL DIGGEKS
Plenty of Offers to Furnish
 Cheap Labor.
MANY FROM FOREIGN SOURCES.

MANY fhUM fUh6ldN SUUkUESs Thirty-two Propositions Received
 From Companies Employing Chl-
 nese-Japanese OfRer to Furnish
 Skilled Mechanics ana Laborers
 For Small sums. :.
 Since the announcement that one of the most serious problems facing the Panama canal commission is the ques- tion of labor hundreds of propositions have come to the commission from in- dividuals and contractors all over the: world offering to furnish suitable la borers in any quantity desired to dig the canal, says the Washington cor respondent of the New York Herald.
 The, commission has nearly complet- ed plans for improving sanitary condi- tons on the isthmus, which was con- sidered matter of primary impor- tance, and attention has now been turned toward the labor question
 Thirty-two propositions have been re- ceived from companies employing Chi nese labor, offering to furnish the gov- ernment coolies to be employed on the canal at cost of 62 cents a day for each laborer. The companies guaran- tee to feed and clothe the laborers, their propositions contemplating the importation to Panama. of large quanti- ties of clothes worn by the Chinese at home, together with cargoes of rice and such other articles of food as they are accustomed to. 1t is also proposed to construct bamboo houses for the Chi nese laborers. and the companies agree to return the bodies of all Chinese who may die on the isthmus to their native country unless death should be caused by contagious disease
 Another proposition has been sub- mdtted to the department by Lieuten- ant Charles O. Thomas, IT,, of the quartermaster's department, U. s. A., who recently supervised the construc ton of the military post at Batangas, Philippine Islands, and who is now su- pervising the construction of the new post at Los Banos. Lieutenant Thomas recently asked authority to take 2,000 Filipino laborers to work on the canal. He offered to supply skilled carpenters at $16O day and rations, stone ma- sons at $1 day and rations and labor CTS at 75 cents day and rations. He reports that he has employed Filipino labor almost entirely in the construc- ton of military posts and roads in the Philippines and that 1t has proved ex- ceptionally efficient The secretary of war has Forwarded the proposition to Admiral Walker, and should the com mission decide to accept the offer Lieu tenant Thomas will be given permis- sion to bring his 2,O00 Filipinos to Pan- anna and put them to work on the canal.
 Similar propositions have been re ceived from Japan, the Japanese offer ing to furnish skilled mechanics at stipend of $1 day and laborers at 65 cents day.
 The Porto Ricans are particularly anxious to assist in the construction of Uncle Sam's great ditch. Thousands of applications have been received from Porto Rico requesting employment. It has been urged as a reason why Porto Rican labor should be employed that the island is today impoverished and that 1t would be gracious thing on the part of Uncle Sam to employ Porto Ricans, thus furnishing the idle on the island employment which in turn would furnish relief to thousands of families that are now practically desti- tute It is also urged that the Porto Ricans are acclimated and would thus prove more efficient and valuable to the government than laborers brought from the States.
 It is understood that majority of the commission are opposed to employ ing foreign labor on the canal. They believe that as far as possible Amert- can workmen should be employed.
 Admiral Walker believes that, as tho canal is to be an American enterprise, American labor, as far as practicable. should be employed and that this labor should be properly compensated.
 At present there is force of about 2,OO0 men working on the canal. The majority of them are employed on the great cutson the Pacific side, which re- Quires an excavation of 160 feet of the earth. Others are employed on other portions of the ditch merely for the purpose of keeping the work already done intact.