Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-11
THE PANAMA CANAL
Nothing Known Of It's Pro-
posed Transfer.
TAFI'S DEEP INTEREST
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
WORK.
It is One of Engineering and Would
Naturally Stay Under the
War Department.


OF constructing the Panama canal from
the War to the State Department. So far
as known the officials of both depart
candidly admit that they see no reason
for it, There is said one official every
reason why the work should be done by
the War Department and none why 1t
should be undertaken by the State De-
partment. The canal zone is American
territory, and building the canal is an
Gineering enterprise pure and simple.
There are no international issues involv-
ed and no occasion for the exercise of di-
plomacy-that is, of course far
other countries are concerned. The only
other country Immediately concerned
with the canal construction is the repub-
lie of Panama, with which our relations
are unusually close and harmonious.
All Customs Questions Settled.
"All the difficulties with Panama over
customs questions which threatened in
the early days of that republic have been
successfully remedied, with every pros
pect of smooth sailing in the future. 1t
is true that Gov. Magoon. governor of the
canal zone has also been appointed min
lister to Panama, but far / can see
that is no reason why the construction
work should be transferred to the State
an American minister at Panama, which,
you know, is a very small country, are not
very arduous or important under existing
conditions. After few months expert
ence in that capacity MIR. John Barrett
recommended to the Presidant that the
diplomatic office be merged with the Of
flee of civil governor of the zone. Gen.
Davis of the army was governor at that
time, and Mr.. Barrett thought that as he
was stationed there it would simplify
matters if he were clothed with diplo-
matte functions. His recommendation
was in the interest of economy and good
administration, and was adopted by the
President, but was not put into effect for
several months later. In the meantime
Mr.. Barrett had been transferred to Bo-
gotta minister to Colombia, and Judge
Magoon succeeded Gen. Davis as gov
ernor of the canal strip. So you see that
the consolidation of the two offices is not
ar entirely new scheme, and is now men,
toned for the first time as a reason why
the canal work should be transferred to
the State Department. But even from
that standpoint there is logic in the
project.
Governor of Zone Nothing to Do With
Construction.
LAS Is well known, the governor of the zone
has no direct connection with the actual
work of building the canal, which is en-
tirely under the direction of another officer
Chief Engineer Stevens. The governor
administers the laws relating to revenue,
order sanitation, etc, and his duties as
minister are simply Incidental. But to sum
1t all up, while Secretary Root would un-
doubtedly be an excellent man to supervise
the building of the canal, such work would
appear to be entirely. foreign to his new
duties as the head of the State Department,
to say nothing of the possible reflection on
the capability of Secretary Taft involved in
relieving him of important engineering
work inaugurated under his personal direc-
ton, and as has been stated by the Presi-
dent properly appertaining to the War De-
partment."
Although the President may have changed
his views on the subject it Is certain that
he originally considered the War Depart
ment the proper department to have direct
supervision of the work of constructing the
Panama canal An executive order to that
effect was issued May o, 1904. In a letter
to Secretary Taft of that date, placing the
isthmian canal commission under the i'm
mediate direction of the Secretary of War,
and defining the Jurisdiction and functions
of the commission, the President said in
part:
Presidents Instructions.
TT becomes my duty, under the statutes
above referred to- to secure the active pros
ecution of the work of construction of the
canal and it's auxiliary works, through the
isthmian canal commission, and in connec-
t1on with such work and in aid thereof to
organize and conduct a temporary govern
ment of the zone, so as to maintain and pro-
tect the inhabitants thereof in the free en-
Joyment of their liberty, property and re-
ligon.
'1nasmuch as 1t is impracticable for the
President with his other public duties to
give to the work of supervising the commits
s1ons construction of the canal and gov
ernment of the zone the personal attention
which seems proper and necessary, and in
asmuch as the War Department is the de-
partment which has always supervised the
construction of the great civil works for
improving the rivers and harbors of the
country and the extended military works
of public defense, and as the said depart
ment has from time to time been charged
with the supervision of the government of
all the island possessions of the United
States, and continues to supervise the gov
ernment of the Philippine Islands, / direct
that all the work of the commission done
by virtue of powers vested in me by the
act of Congress approved June 2S, 1907, in
the digging, construction and completion
of the canal. and all the governmental
power in and over said canal zone and it's
appurtenant territory, which by virtue of
the act OF Congress approved April %, 1904,
and these instructions shall be vested in
said isthmfan canal commission, shall be
carried on or exercised under your super
vision and direction as Secretary of War"
Secretary Taft's Interest.
Secretary Taft has made deep personal
study of the canal question in all its as
poets and, to add to his store of general
knowledge, made visit to the canal strip
last fall and personally looked over the
ground. He prepared the instructions for
the Walker commission. and when he found
that they were not being satisfa ctorily exc
cuted he prepared a plan for reOrganiZing
the commission and putting 1t on a more
thorough working basis. The President
adopted all his suggestions with the result
that the commission was entirely reorgan-
lied and plans adopted for the prompt. and
vigorous prosecution of the work. Secre-
tary Taft practically selected the member
ship of the commission, as well as all the
consulting engineers, and put all the ma
chinery in motion before he started for the
Philippines.
Those in a position to know the facts say
that if the Panama canal work is trans