Arizona republican., 1905-07-15

M. Witte was one Of Russia's most eminent statesmen and his appoint ment would lend confidence and weight to the conclusions of the con- ference.
 Chairman Shonts and Chief Engin- ger Stevens remained with the presi- dent for some time after the departure of Minister Takahira. This was the first opportunity the president had had to discuss canal matters with MT. Stevens and they went over the sub ject pretty thoroughly. As both Mir. Shonts and MT. Stevens expect to sail for Panama on the goth inst, the pres ident desired to consult with them be- fore their departure.
 It is not unlikely that MT. Stevens will be made in the near future member of the executive committee of the commission. a position occupied by his predecessor, Mir. Wallace. IL can be said that MT. Stevens has been given practically a lree hand 10 do construction work. He has his own ideas about the methods Jo be pursued and will not be intcrfered with in the work of his department. His desire is to dig the canal and to that great undertaking he will devote all his ea- i ergies and ability, le3Ving the eXecu- i tive and administrative details to be | worked out by Chairman Shonts, Gov { ernor MagoCn and the commission. ] After a conference with the presi- | dent. Chairman ShOnts talked frankly i about the work of the commission and about the canal condition. "Our talk 2 with the president today" said he. twas of a general character about the 1 canal matters. The president desired to see MT. Stevens before we left for ' wifi hntI pf 1 us the progress of the work Just now l We have about 12,O00 men at work on i the canal We must make arrange | rents for tho housing, feeding and ! general care Of our employees, in itself ! . great task. and we must complete tho
 sanitary arrangements in the American | zone
 No" continued Chairman Shonts
 iu response to an inquiry, ''the sani- Iary coudItions on the isthmus are nO
 so had as they have been reported tC
 be- The sanitary conditions are be-
 ing bettered all the time, and as sooT
 as We complete arrangements for al | adequate supply of pure water We shal
 have little or no difficulty. My belle
 Is that the actual digging af the cana
 1riu have to be done b.! laborers in
 ured to the tropical climate. That Ia
 hor we shall be able to get withou
 any serious trouble"
 A slled whether it was his idea tt
 use Chinese laborers in the canal L
 any extent. he replied that some Chi
 ncse from the rice fields of southerl
 Chine probably would meet the labo
 requirements on the isthmus, but h
 doubted whether the northern China
 men could live and work in the trOpi cal climate of Panama.
 Chairman ShOnts was asked whethe he could say anything regarding tn
 Troposed transfer of the isthmian can
 al commission and its affairs from tn war department to the state depart , rent ,..I think" he replied. you woul better get that information from tn
 president. can say, however, that n
 definite concl IsiOn has yet been reach ea So fa- as I personally am con = e.. ned, it would make no differenc - whether the canal affairs were direct eG by Secretary Taft or by Secretar Root. Both are equipped admirably fo , ihe work. The transfer is all admin = ! istrative matter with which l hay nothing to dO.