The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-04-14
THE 6THh|AN CANAL.
Will Probably be Roosevelt's
Crowning Achievement.
CITY PUBLIC PLAYGROUND
Real Needs Of Children More
and More Recognized.

WEEKLY LETTER FROM wAsllINGToN.
The people who have elected Presi.
dent Roosevelt by such an overwhelm.
ing majority expect many reforms
and improvements, but 1t is dou btful
II IN History he will be better known
for anything than the building Of
the Panama Canal. The prelimin.
aries Of that great work are now at
an end and the real labor Of digging
dirt will be commenced at once. For
this advance the country is largely
indebted to the President. 1t was
not an easy or agreeable task for bin
to disrupt the old commission. No
positive charges had heen proved
against 1t. 1t was made up Of his
appolutees. To dismiss 1t was to
acknowledge mistake and to face
the ~ told you so'sn Of the hordes OF
congressman and wire pulIers who
had presented candidates when the
old commission WAS first formed. 1t
would have been easier to have
allowed the commission to continue
and to declare that great delays were
necessary to all great work. But
President Roosevelt has done nothing
OF the kind. With characteristic
force and execution as soon as he had
satisfied himself that the commission
il was delaying the work he began the
aeifort to change it that has resulted
in the appointment Of the new Com
lnissioners. He did not make specific
a charges against the Commissioners.
1t was not necessary that they should
4 have embezzled or attempted any
graft" The simple charge that
The practical result of the operation
Of the IsthMian Canal Commission
appointed and acting under previous
Z executive orders has not proved salts
+ factory was sufficient reason to him
for making a change and the people
Of the United States abundantly
Justify the unusual aud radical action.
Statesmen Of the old laisseZ faire
school are shocked at the proceeding,
but the President Is little affected by
their surprise and not at all disposed
to stand still for fear Of stepping on
their toes. He wants the Canal dug
now, while he still mas the power to
say and do something. -
Washington is now taking up In
earnest the problem that Is confrOnt-
ing other great cities aud that has
ALREADY become such serious ques-
ti0n in London, the establishment Of
public Fairgrounds for children. One
Of the happest examples OF the broad
ening of mems ideas since the time Of
the Puritans is seen in the growing
consideration which children are re-
ceving. The day when the training
OF the young was summed up in the
maxim that children. should be seen
and not heard is rapidly passing and
il children are both seen aud heard a
little too much for peace now it is
because men and women are becOm-
ing aroused to the importance OF
allowing children free expression.
No one who studies children can be
long unaware that next to food aud
sleep their greatest need Is play
Statistics are constantly being col
lected to prove that the country bret
boy has more and better chances II
life than his city brother but 1t /.
doubtful II this proved would NEAR
anything more than that the boz
who has had all the play he needet
aud the. consequent development O
q ,l,cly and faculty is better dttet
for work and accomplishment. A
land values increase 10 city tn
playing space for children decrease
and with the advance Of the apart
msnt house and the blocks Of teDe
ment houses the child is crowded ou
altogethcr. In London now groun'
IS bcius taken up and expensive build
inys pulled down to make room 70
Fairgrounds. Forty years ago th
land might have been had for thous
ands that will now cost millions
The example Of L0ndon's delay ma
be the means OF saving our glca