St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-08-05
To Amuse the Workers

1t appears that the government
has it's eyes open now TO the fact
that not only is the Isthmus of
Panama a very unhealthy spot, out
a very lonesome one as we'll, and
in addition to the necessity of so
improving the sanitary conditions
there as TO prevent the army of
canal workers dying like sheep
with the rot, provision will have
to be made for their amusement
and diversion, in order to keep
them IN the country. Chairman
Shonts, who sailed Tnursday ilom
New York for Panama, said that
the men on the canal want amuse.
ment, games and outdoor exercis e.
At the present time they have
nothing TO do but work, and being
two thousand miles from home
they naturally, as the result of
their condition, grow homesick apd
discouraged. To remedy this, Mr..
Shonts says, the canal commission
will esta blish a separate depart
ment, which will provide club
houses across the lsthmus. A few
days ago newspaper IN New York
quoted can official of the canal
commissltn'' as saying that the
only way to induce Americans to
stay in Panama until the canal is
constructed is 10 make the canal
zone as "wlde open" as Chicago
and San Francisco. This official
thinks that it is imperative to
make life "attractlve on the 18TH
mus from Panama to Colon. tie
says:
s'The suggestion may give many
good people in this conntfy a
shock, but | do not believe that
the construction work on the 18TH
mus will move along satisfactorily
until the zone Is thrown wide
open,' in the sense of the term az
it is applied to any of the big
American towns. The tens oi
thousands of men who will labor
there when the great project is
fully under wav will need recrea.
ton, as those who are now digging
do. There are at present practi-
cally no diversions within striking
distance, and, as | have eaid be-
fore, the men have too much time
IN which to think of themselves.
l suppose this phase of the situa.
ton will adjust itself In Que course
of time, unless there be an outcrY
from the moral sentiment here al
home that does not appreciate the
necessity of meeting human nature
on It's own ground, when confront
ed by conditions such as stare us
ii the face on the Isthmus. :"
/ 1t is evident that this ''official
of the canal commission" knows
that the lsthmus, at Its very best,
is a hard spot for any American to
live on, and for this reason dance
halls, honky-tonks, and other
places in which the men can
s.whiIe dull care away" should, il
not provided by the government,
be tolerated by it as not only va'ua'
BILE but necessary adjuncts to the
work Of building the great water
way. We believe that the '.official'
is quite correct in the conclusion
he has reached. The class o.
, Americans who will cast their for
tunes on the Isthmus for the mex
ten or twenty years are net likel,
= to be of a class that will find salts
!. faction and resttulntss in sunda..
> school entertainments and Bibl
class meetings. Some forms o
. amusement will have to he pro
vided for them which, as th
French say, will be much NOR
piquant.
A very large number OF thes
r Americans will be perfectly will
ing to remain on the lathmus an
allow the sswide world to wag q
it WILL" so long as they enjoy tn
privilege and pleasure Of meetln
the ''tiger IN his den'' and partic
pating In the gambols of that slee
animal to the music of whlrril'
roulette wheels and the clinklng
ivory chips. There are many OIL
ers, who, as they SIT before tt
= ..Lo,Lore,, of fnaminv heer wi