Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-22
Advocates Placing Isthmian
Canal Under Control of One
Head OF Small Commission
ROOSEVELT TO CONSIDER PLAN
President Has Promised to Give Sec
rotary Taft's Plan For Rearranee-
ment of the Commission, Immediate
Attention When Receivcd-DeIays
Not Due to Neglect.

Washington, March 22.9- Secretary
he has written to the president con-
corning complaints made by DR.. c. A.
l.. Reed regarding the work of the
isthmian canal commission. In the
course Of his letter Secretary Taft said
that many of the things complained OF
would be remedied by placing the con-
troll of the canal under one head, or
at least under commission composed
of not more than three members. He
added that he Will submit to the presi-
dent in a short time plan for the re-
arrangement OF the commission. Pres
ident Roosevelt in his reply said he
was glad to know that the secretary
is preparing a plan for the rearrange-
ment Of the commission and promises
to give the plan immediate attention
when received Secretary Tafts let
ter and the presidents reply are as
follows:
War Department., Washington,
March II, 1905.-'rhe President: l
herewith transfer the answer Of the
commission to the charges contained
in the report of DR.. c. A. L. Reed to
me as to the sanitary provisions made
by the isthmian canal commission on
the isthmus.
IT think that a reading Of the two
documents will show what indeed was
apparent on the face of DIR. Reeds
statement--that his charges against
the commission We're biased and con-
troversial and not written in the judi
cial spirit that inspires confidence in
their justice and accuracy.
"Dr. Reed visited the isthmus at my
request to act, as assessor of land up,
on a commission provided by the
treaty between Panama and the Uni
ted States, but as he was the head of
the American Medical Association, 1t
seemed to me an opportunity on his
return to secure information from one
skilled in his profession as to the ex,
listing conditions upon the isthmus. In
response to my queries he was so EN-
phatic and so detailed in his charges
that I asked him to make his state
ment in writing, which he did upon the
same day by the use Of a stenograp PHI
er. 1t is probable that had he taken
more time he would have been more
measured in his criticisms, less ex-
IRENE in his statements, and less flip
pant in his references to the action of
the commission. The report of DR..
Reed was published without my know
ledge or consent
The reply Of the commission seems
to show that a large part of the plans
and 1.-THE action of the commission
which DR.. Reed criticizes was fully con-,
CURED in and agreed to by Colonel Cor
gas and the other medical officers in
the employ of the commission. 1t is
doubtless true that Colonel Gorgas and
his staff believed that it would be wiser
to give them an entirely free hand in
the matter of ordering construction,
supplies and the employment of sub
ordinates. 1t is quite probable that had
the approval Of the commission in the
matter of ordering construction and
supplies been dispensed with, there
would have been fewer delays and less
complaint on this account; but in the
of such large sums as were
necessary fon the organization of the