Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-01-14
Roosevelt, Unable to Garry Out
His Ideas, Asks Congress
f0r More Power.
HAMpERED BY LIMITATIONS
Impossible to Obtain Eest Results in
the Construction CT tne Great Water
way, He Says, Unless He is Given
Wider Discretion. The Text Of the
Message.
tBy Associated Press }
Message.

tBy Associated Press)
WASHINGTON. Jan l3.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt. in a brief message.
transmitting to Congress today the
hrst annual report OF the Panama
Canal Commission together with a
letter from Secretary Taft relating to
Panama affairs, recommends that he
ne given greater discretion. as he is
charged with the responsibility of
constructing the canal.
Hampered by Restrictions.
The Presidents message saws:
concur with the secretary of war
with the view that the present prpvi-
sion OF law by which the work OF build
ing the canal has to be done only
through a body OF seven members is
lnelastic and clumsy, and earnestly
recommend change SO that the l'resi-
dent. who is charged with tn" re-
sponsibillty OF building the canal, may
exercise greater discretion in the or
SanlZatlon OF the personnel through
whom he is to discharge this duty.
To Obtain Best Results.
Actual experience has convinced
me that it will be impossible to OBJ
tain the best and most effective serv-
ice and under the limitations prescribe
ed by law. The general plan for the
work must be agreed upon with ahlest
engineers OF the country, who should
act as an advisory body The consult.
ing engineers should not be- ptit- t411-- ife-
commission, which should be used on
ly as an executive and administrative
work. The actual work Of executing
the general plans agreed upon by the
commission after receiving the con.
illusions Of the advising engineers,
must be done by an engineer in
charge. and we now have an excellent
engineer.
Outlines His Views.
1T is. in my judgment, inadvisahle
therefore TO restrict the executives
choice Of commissioners to represent.
atlves Of the engineer corps OF the ar
my or the navy. The commission
should consist Of five, or preferably Of
three members. whose respective du-
ties, powers and salaries should be
assigned to them by the President.
and who should be placed under the
member OF the cabinet whom the
President desires. OF these men the
one appointed as administrator of the
canal strip should also serve as min
lister to Panama
THEODORE ROOsEVELT.,'
In his letter, Secretary Taft SAYS the
commission has done a great deal Of
the work OF organization sanitation
and preparation to build the canal.
Decided progress has been made in
the verifcation OF the data Obtained BY
the French engineers and ii, procuring
new data necessary to enable the en-
Sineers Of the commission TO deter
mine the nroaar plan for the canal
Secretary Taft expresses the opinion
that it may be necessary to increase
from 10 to Is per cent. the rate Of duty
that may be collected by Panama on
goods destined for the canal zones
and point out that the monopoly now
existing on tobacco will expire in 1906
and will not renewed SO that that mar
ket will be upon the United States
Labor is Needed
The question OF labor is not free
from difficulty and it will not be easy
to secure all the Jamaica laborers re
CURED
The secretary strongly recommends
the exq'isition by the government Of
the 1.59 ner cent. Of the stock Of the
Panama Railroad Company now in
private hands.
The report Of the canal commission
Is largely Saevoted TO describing the
work done ~ The isthmus. which is al
ready familiar TO the public
Heavy Expense.
General Davis in his report refers to
the high cost Of operating the Pana-
ma Railroad, the expenses of The New
York office being $4,000 This. he
says, can be given up and the forty
seven miles Of road managed bv the
chief engineer Of the commission.