The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-11
WASHING
TON LETTER

from our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 10, 1905.
: The first week of Congress which
has Just passed has been one Of con-
siderable interest and shows consid'
cradle progress In two Of the most
important questions before Congress
and the country A canal appropria.
ton of $11,O0OOOO which it is expect
ed will carry the work on the big
ditch to the first OF March has been
passed by the House and will doubt.
less be passed by the Senate and prob
ably become law before the Christ.
mas holidays The bill was not
passed without debate and furnished
an opportunity for brilliant criticism
on the part OF the Democratic leader,
Mr.. Williams. His structures as well
as those Of other Democrats were Ill
rected mainly against the high sal
ared officials appointed by the Presi.
dent. especially against Mr., Bishop,
whom they characterized as a press
agent with salary of $4,000 year
and who. they Insisted, was there to
dole news to the press as Mr., Roose.
welt has recently attempted to dole
1t at the White House and, 1t was en-
phaslzed, that his other business was
to write the history Of the Roosevelt
Canal AMI euloEze the President as
author and factor.
Mr.. Bishop, by the way, is n gentle
man of capacity, broad culture and a
first rate editorial writer. He Is not
the press agent of the canal except
in the sense that he is the official
source OF Information pertaining to
the Canal. Before he accepted a place
with the Canal Commission he had
declined an offer of some powerful in.
terests that are opposing the canal
and which have established bureaus
of publicity in Washington, New York
and Chicago. Had he accepted the OF.
fer of the opposing interest he would
now be receiving twelve thousand
dollars year in the healthful environ
ment Of New York instead Of risk
ing his life and raving dlscomforts
in the region Of Panama. 1t Is un.
derstood that President Roosevelt
heard that the rival concern was
striving to retain Mr.. Bishop and i'm
mediately engaged his services, This
is a plain statement of Mr., Bishops
connection with the Panama Canal.
He has been a high salaried man for
many years and as actually receiving
higher compensation as Journal
list when he accepted his present Of
flee than he is now getting from it.
The other high salaried men, two of
them getting thirty thousand each.
one seventeen thousand and two 9th.
ers ten thousand each are all men Of
character. standing and ability who
are leaving comfortable homes and
lucrative places for life in mlasmatic
and fever infected region. Their ser.
vices are Indispensable, the admins,
tFation is justified in paying for the
highest skill and ability and in the
matter of sanitation where It Is EN-.
poyng medical ability and reputa,
tlon It would be criminal to risk the
lives Of the thousands who must go
there and to imperil the progress of
the completion Of the great enter
prise by a false economy or by too
great sensitiVeness to captious or
shallow criticism. 1t is true that mil
itary and naval officers OF the same
rank and performing analogous duties
are receiving much smaller salaries,
but they are holding life positions in
the homes of their choice, surrounded
with all the material sources of com.
fort, refinement and happiness, The
man who braces hardships and risks
his life SHOULD and must be paid for
it.