West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-07-27
Gen, Wood 10 Try His Hand on the
Panama Canal as ii Must be
Built by the U. S,
THE TROUBLE IN THE NAVY YARD
And the Government Printing ofco
Being Investigated and a
Full Report Made.
FIom Our Regular coresponaenl

-l ne proposal TO put Gen, Wood
in charge of the Panama Canal
Zone is one that is sure to awake
widespread discussion in the coun-
try 1t probably will revive the
joke that was sprung on General
Corbin at one Of the Gridiron Club
dinners last winter after he had
been made Major General. Cen
eral, he was asked, "if You have
reached the grade Of Major General
after forty years service in the
Army, what would be your rank now
If you had started in as physican to
the President ?" Looked at serious
ly, if Gen, Wood is given the gov.
ernorshIp Of the canal zone, 1t will
be one of the strongest evidences OF
the eihacy of personal pull with the
administration. At the same time
IT will put the versatile ex army
surgeon in the most trying response
BILE position he has ever held in his
life and if he makes good his name
will be as closely associated in his
tory with the Panama Canal as will
that Of the engineer who builds il.
There are scores OF officials in
Washington who are betting that
the Panama Canal will never be
built. 1t seems useless to talk in
this VEN after the American people
have said ihat tls to be done. OF
course the transcontinental roads
are covertly throwing every obstacle
in the way. They as much as any
one are circulating statements to
the detriment Of the canal plans
and there is not move made Of
any sort hut what there is chorus
OF criticism for the government
which rs planning It. 1t is claimed
that reports now ia possession OF
the government show that there is
absolutely no foundation but mud
for the canal any where across the
lfihmus and that its building is
physical impossibili,y
This may or may not be true
Chief Engineer Stephens who was
appointed to succeed Engineer Wal
lace when the latter made up his
mind that sos, 900 in the United
States was better than Sz5, 600 in
the Panama, holds the old engineer
ing theory that with a sufficient
amount OF money, nothing in the
engineering line is impossible. This
like every other dogmatic statement
is true only within limits. 1t issaid
there is dead body under every
cross tie OF the Panama R.R. This
is almost literally true. But the Canal
is to b, built under American aus.
pices and the first and greatest work
will be to clean up the isthmus.
Here is where Gen. Woods ability
is expected to come in. There is
no denying that Wood is a strong
personality and he did a good Job
Of municipal cleaning at Santiago
The town was IN a lamentable con
dition when he took hold Of it and
he made it into a decent habitable
city Whether he can do the same
at Panama if he is given the chance
is another question.
Conditions at Panama are worse
than they ever were in Cuba, and
tha, was bad enough Gen. Leon
ard Wood is not a gentleman who
cares so much tor methods as for
results lie probably did good
many things in Cuba that we're
irregular and would hardly stand
the scrutiny Of a court or a Treas
ury auditor But roughshod disre.
gard for precedent is not bad
thing sometimes il it gets results.
Should Wood be sent o. The isthmus
he will have a job that DIS worst
enemies will not envy. AT the same
time he Will have a chance such as
few Americans have ever had. The
American people as a whole win
not care much one way or another.
But they want the canal built.
The President is having a nice
resuu time on his vacation. lie
has the Peace Depar.men, anoa,
and coming his way and a.mos,
wound up the row in the Depart.
ment Of Agriculture without firing
either the Secretary or the Chief
Statisucan, almost got the scandal
10 the Government Printing Office
settled after fashion, when along
came the employees Of the Navy
Yard At Washington with the plea