Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-04-03

Dufden involved IN Nne NonslIuNllon VI
the canal, and II remains for the presi-
dent IN the failure Of Congress 10 act,
10 reorganl2e the commission both BY
change IN personnel and by certain
instructions as TO us internal proceed
ure and distribution OF powers and au-
thority 70 secure greater rapldity and
efficiency IN the doing OF the Work.
INTENTION OF CONGRESS-.
1T Is not to be supposed that Congress
Intended that the commission was per
sonally TO do with work or come ncApa
to the direct agencies IN doins the work
than the directory OF railroad comes
10 the construction OF railroad work.
and we may assume therefore that n
was quite within the congressional In
tention that the commission might, for
convenience and rapidly ~ action aft
er formulating the general plan OF
work delegate TO committee or CONF
mittees the doing OF work IN detail, the
result 70 be reported subsequently OF
course, 10 the fun commission. The
commission should. therefore appoint
an executive committee to be CONSTITUTE
ed and empowered as hereafter stated"
DETAILS OF sECRETARY's PLAN
The secretary then states In detail
MS plan for the division OF the work
into departments and reasons therefor,
all OF which details are accepted and
set forth IN the presidents order. The
letter concludes as follows.
The change Of headquarters and
power from Washington to the 18TH
mus VIII doubtless require a radical
ehange In the office Of the commission
IN Washington. am quite sure that
greater economy and more satisfactory
methods OF accounting can be secured
than now exists. Machinery Tor pur-
chase OF supplies and force sufficient
20 maintain a duplicate set OF acts and
the necessary correspondents must
necessarily be maintained IN Washing.
ton, but little else is needed But
these changes may safely be left to
the commission and executive commits
tee, as newly constituted.
II beg to submit herewith the res
ignatlons OF all the present canal COM
mission, 10 take effect at your pleasure.
Il respectfully recommend the ap-
pointment OF new commission and a
designation OF the chairman Of the COM
mission, the governor OF the zone, and
the chief engineer. and the issuing NJ
On executive order embodylng the rec
concentrations herein.
Respectfully yours
WILLIAM II. TAFT,
Secretary OF War"
1.-THE president"
PRESIDENTS REPLY.
The presidents action is indicated in
the following repiyi
THE White House, Washington, ID.
g, April /, l905.--The practical result
of the operations OF the lsthmian canal
commission appointed acting under
previous legislative orders, ! 9 not been
satisfactory and requires a change In
the personnel OF the commission and In
the instructions for It's guidance.
QUARTERLY SESSIONS.
"The commission will hold quarterly
sessions the first OF January, April
July and October Of each year at the
offices OF the governor OF the isthmus
OF Panama, and will continue each SEES
sion as long as public business may re-
qulre, Further notice OF such meetings
shall not be necessary To their regular
ity The commission may hold special
sessions at the call OF the chairman,
-Four members shall constitute o quor-
um and the action of such majority
shall constitute quorum, and the ac-
tlon Of such majority shall be the ao-
ton OF the commission.
COMMISSIONS DUTY.
THE commission, under the supervi-
sion and direction OF the secretary OF
war. and subject to the approval OF the
president, is charged with the genera
duty OF the adoption OF plans for the
construction and maintenance OF tho
canal aud with the execution OF tho
work OF the same; with the purchase
and delivery OF supplies machinery and
necessary plants IN the employment OF
the necessary officers, employees and la
borers and with the fixing OF their sal
aries and wages; with the commercial
operation OF the Panama Railroad COM
pany and It's steamship lines as COM
mon carriers with the utilization OF
the railroad as means Of constructing
the canal; with the making OF contracts
for construction and excavation and
with all other matters incident and nev-
essary 10 the building of water way
across the sthmus OF Panama as pro-
vided by the act Of Congress OF June
70. 1902
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
For convenience and TO secure the
uninterrupted course OF the work, an
executive committee OF not less than
three members OF the commission shall
be appointed by the commission TO act
IN place or the commission during the
intervals between the meetings OF the
commission and TO report It's dolngs In
full TO the commission at the next regu-
lar meeting.
MINUTES MUST BE KEPT
Minutes OF every transaction OF the
executive committee shall be made and
one copy Of the minutes shall be for
warded TO the secretary OF war and
another transmitted for the consldera.
ton of the commission nj itg next n,pAt-
ing. Regular meetings OF the executive
committee shall be held at the office
Of the governor on the Isthmus OF
Panama at 10 o'clock In the forenoon
on each Monday and Wednesday OF
every week ana further notice Of such
meetings shall not be necessary to
tholr legnlitY. A mnIorltv Of lhnlr