New-York tribune., 1905-12-29
UNsK1LLED LABOR QUESTION.

The question OF labor Is a grave ana ,perpIexlng
from nearby tropical islands and countries SO far
is a very different matter. Unless a much greater
efficiency can be developed than is secured at pres
ent 1t viii be necessary to look elsewhere for
The present wage varies from % cents to 81 o.
labor in the United States, its efficiency is rated
the employees Of the canal are now. and win con
20 per cent employed win be IN clerical, a super
visory or in some other ,; c;apacegty to which the
pGabe It is to this nd d OF labor we are n COM
who know nothing of the laws existence until they
arrive on the isthmus Such application will in
Is per cent and win add many millions unneces-
saTlly to the total expenditure, 7 . - ., -.
Congress for the benefit of American labor at home
number of American laborers, but will enormously
add to the cost Of construction and American labor
auont au nf'41 Increase Ta I'M IN taxation AZ to- 80 ',i ~
In the opinion of the commission 1t is a mistake
to handicap the construction OF the Panama Canal
with any laws save those OF police and sanitation.
the isthmus be excluded from the application OF
the Eight Hour law the Contract Labor law the
to be passed by Congress for the benefit of Ameri-
can labor at home.
TYPE OF CANAL
The art approved June % 1902, pledged for the
construction OF the canal $150OoO O0 of which It ap-
propriated $19OOO,OOO this total being practically
Isthmian Canal Commission of 1S99-19Ol. That ap-
preparation was made under conditions and crcum-
stances almost Identical to those that followed
for harbor and river works, and leaves doubt
s1Ihnitted by that commission and all construction
work done thus far has been under and in ac-
The commission appointed in March 1894 had
in March, 1906 a project for a sea level canal AS
sea level canal however, could not be built for
tbere eeemed to be difference of opinion among
engineers to the best type OF canal the Presl-
dent by executive order, ordered board of con-
no9 for the purpose of Considering the type of
nal tn he
The Isthman Canal Commission by that order was
directed all proposed plans in detailed form
with maps and surveys and other documents suf- |
the questions presented to them. This was done. !
isthmus during October, and has been giving the
subject careful study since; 1t is expected that |
The work on the Cuebra cut was undertaken
with the idea that the excavation done would be |
he adonteS n This is only true to limited extent
No systematic Organization for attacking this cut
can be effected until it is known how much ma |
cut is to be excavated If 900 cubic yards are
to be removed it must be attacked In an entirely
COO or 50 100000 cubic yards be removed
IF the fofai in that cut viii be rock under water
whereas in the case Of a lock level canal with a |
be rome It is therefore of the utmost Importance |
that the type of canal be decided upon with the |
While this necessary work of sanitating the 18TH
mus and providing for the health and welfare of
the employees was in progress. the task of purchas-
Ing forwarding and distributing the enormous
quantity of material and supplies of all kinds was
receiving constant and most careful attention. The
purchases included not only the items entering into
the permanent plant. but also those required for |
the preliminary work The approximate total cost |
of these purchases was about $9O00000
All expenditures up TO the present time have been
paid out of the appropriation Of sl0000000 made by
the Congress June 2S, 1902
In the act of Congress authorizing the construc-
ton OF the canal and appropratng $40 600 900 for the
work there a further authorization
for the commission to enter into contracts for the
work. with total not to exceed $l35O00Oe, 20 meet
which Congress would from time to time as the
necessities required. make suitable appropriation.
Under the provision of this authorization the COM
mission entered into contracts for materials and
supplies for future delivery which are essential to
the construction of the canal the orders for which
must be placed considerably In advance of the time
when they to be needed because the industries
IF the United States so crowded with domestic
business that Immediate delivery OF such articles
cannot be made.
The payroll on the isthmus at present amornts
to approximately 100000 a month An immediate
appropriation is therefore necessary and estimates
for such appropriation for the period ending June
% 1906. amount TO $l6.50O,000.