New-York tribune., 1905-01-27
CHANGES AT PANAMA

Changes are impending at Panama. OF that
there can be no doubt. The Presidents mes
sage upon the subject, the various proposals
for Congressional action, the appointment Of
Congressional subcommittee TO investigate the
Panama Railroad and other current incidents
clearly indicate some transformation of our sys-
tenn OF administration in the canal zone More
over, the present system will expire by Iegis-
lative limitation on March next, so that some
new arrangement must be made before that
date, and the opportunity thus facilitates the
making Of such changes as experience and al
tered or better known conditions suggest 1t is
to be said frankly, as we have hitherto repeat
edly satd that some radical changes are not
only desirable, but necessary, for the promo
ton Of the work Of canal construction for the
protection Of the health of the canal employees
and the general public and for the avoidance
of some Of the evils of administration which
proved so costly and in the END disastrous to
our French predecessors on the isthmus 1t is
not necessary TO cite them in detail. The gem
eral changes necessary have already been out
lined officially and they and the reasons for
them are already we'll known,
The statements made by Secretary Taft be-
fore the Senate committee on Wednesday
should have great Is eight with legislators be-
cause of the great authority of knowledge with
which he spoke and also because of the great
weight of responsibility under which he spoke
We are told that. in addition to repeating and
emphasizing the chief points of his recent re-
port, he especially urged action for securing for
the government complete ownership of the Pan
anna Railroad and its steamship line There
can he no doubt of the desirability Of that
The railroad is essential an adjunct to the
canal building enterprise as are the steam
shovels at Culebra Hitherto its service has
been costly-far more costly, there is reason to
think, than was necessary TO assure good re-
turns on the investment. Il would be intolera-
bic to have all the heavy freight and passeu-
ger traffic which the construction of the canal
Will draw thither subjected to extortionate
charges. either on the railroad or on the steam
ship line. If the government becomes the sole
owner Of these transportation facilities, 1t will
be able to operate them for Its own benefit and
perhaps for that of general traffic.
1t is unsatisfactory and disquleting to hear Of
more cases Of yellow fever the isthmus the
latest outbreak being upon the United States
cruiser Boston. 1t would be worse than useless
to try TO conceal or ignore the fact that the
dreaded disease exists there and that it is in
creasing in both extent and virulence. MaIariaI
and dengue fevers are also prevalent and there
is grave fear of widespread epidemic of ty-
phoid. OF course, the administration of the
canal zone is not to be charged with the bad
qualities of the climate or with the evil results
of unsanitary conditions which have existed
there for centuries and which 1t has been phvs.-
cally impossible entirely to correct in the short
time since we gained control of the region. But
It is reasonably TO be expected that the sani-
tary officers on the spot, who are making ths
fight OF their lives against the pestences shall
have free hands and plenary powers, and shall
not be hampered with needless delays and red
tape. When acquisitions are made for supplies
which are urgently needed for the suppression
of an actual outbreak it might from some point
of view be prudent TO advertise for proposals
and TO deliberate over the exact brand of goods
and the exact quantity required But that
would not be the point of view Of the men who
were suffering and dying of fever, or of those
who in the face OF difficulties and discourage
ments were trying TO save them. The sanitary
condition down there is most of the time an
emergency situation, and the fund at the dis
posaI of the health authorities is essentially an
emergency fund. which should be ample in
amount and which should be under control
more flexible than that of red tape.
The Presidents request for more flexible
system OF general administration is an eminent
ly sound one Some have affected to regard II
unfavorably tending toward looseness and
possible carelessness and corruption Such
view of II is unwarranted and mistaken A
commission of three would not according To
any principle OF which we are aware, be any