The Cairo bulletin., 1905-11-25
VIOLATED LAW BY
GOING INTO DEBT.
In GAN BE PUNISHED
BY SUMMARY DISMISSAL AND
FINE OR SoNMENT---
SOME or CREDITORS
NEAR 6ANkRUPTcY.

Washington, Nov 24Gross mis-
management and reckless extrava-
gance have marked the conduct Of the
Panama Canal eommisso on. AS a RE-
suit the commissioners may ba sum-
mar ly removed and also punished by
fine or imprisonment IN entering into
contracts not authorized by law The
commission IS heavily II dabt ami
contract rs are clamoring Tor the pay
men. Of their bills fr GOODS delivered
moathe ago.
The comm ssion will ak eHsgEess
for an emergency appropriation df
$lGoJ000o to pay ts expenses for the
next six monts. Ii las entered into
contracts for material amounting 10
$9,0e0000 and it win need $1,000. 900
for expenses from the present time
to Jure so next If owes from $500. 900
to Sl 100000 to tho Panama railroad,
a corporation owned by the govern-
ment. Il has been unable to pa ythis
amount because the ten millions ap-
propriated by congress for the work
has been expended When the sailrca@
officials called on the Canal Commits
s'oncrs to pay this sum they were I'M
able 10 do SO. and the railroad of cials
were obliged ID go into the market for
the M ney.
c1opatares ana panr.s an +, Iva. al
ready In the city ara aasonished at
the lecklessness and extravaganza Of
the commission Congress will I'M
loubtedly call lie commissioners 10
account and psohably viii iegislate
theml out of office.
Since the advisory board Of consult
ing Eng .neers recommended the bild-
ne of sea.leyel canal. which would
cost s100,000,00j more than a. lock
canal. members of Congress from
Speaker Cannon down agree that Com
gress should make an Investigation OF
what has been done and place checks
on the extravaganza of the ComA4is.
sioners. ~
In addition TO the couftsts for
100000 the Commissioners s1.500.-
400 in debt for material &eady pur-
chased. which cannot be psld for until
Congress provides the funds The big
contractors Of New York and Chicago Il
now propose to organize for the pur- Il
pose OF boycotting the canal BECAUSE
Of what they cons der their unjust i
treatment al the hands of the Gov Il
These contractors furnished 4
the Government supplies for he canal. 4
some of which were shipped last Aug 4
ust and their receipt has not yet been II
even acknowledged. Payment cannot
be made until q can be shown that the Il
goods were delivered and Congress
makes an appropriation The contrac-
tors say they were led to believe
hat their goods would be paid for
within a reasonable tine Some of
hem are on the verge Of bankruptcy
because # the large amount OF money
led up The Government owes one
firm 100000, and there are many to
whom II owes from 5000 to $4,000.
The last Congress passed law
which prov ded that no department of
ne Government shall e1pend in any
iscal year eny snm in excess Of the
made hy congress for
hat year or involve the Government
N any contract or 0bliEaFicn for future
payment unless specifically aufhorized>
~ law. The penalty Tor violation Of
his law ia SUNNI " q smissal from
Mice and punishment by fine OF NOT
ess than sl1J. Or by impr sonmeni
or not less than one month. While
ne Commissioners have the right C
make contracts. ihey have no au
Confined on -nni Pagel