Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-08-04
(From our regular corrcspondent.)

Holiday-The prnt-Shop Scandal an Insen-
ious Means for Advertising
(From our regular corrcspondent.)
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July n.
The proposal to put Gen. Wood in
charge of the Panama Canal Zone is
one that is sure to awake widespread
discussion in the country. 1t probably
will revive the joke that was sprung
! on Gen. Corbin at one OF the Gridiron
Club dinners last winter after he had
been made Major General. "Gen-
eral," he was asked, eff you have
reached the grade OF Major General
after forty years service in the army,
what would be your rank now if you
had started in as physician to the
President?" Looked at seriously, If
General Wood is given the gov
ernship OF the canal zone, it will
be one OF the strongest evidences
of the efficacy of personal pull with
the administration. At the same time
it will put that versatile ex-army sur
geon in the most trying responsible
position lie has ever held in his life
and if he makes good his name will be
as closely associated in history wit h
the Pan anna Canal as will that Of the
engineer who builds it.
There are scores OF officials in Wash.
ington now who are betting that the
Panama Canal will never be built. If
seems useless to talk in thi, vein after
the American government and the
American people have said that it is to
be done. Of course the transcontinen.
tai roads are covertly throwing every
obstacle in the way. They, as much
as anyone, are circulating statements
to the detriment OF the canal plans
and there is not move made OF any
sort but what there is chorus OF criti.
cism for the government which is
planning it. 1t is claimed that reports
now in possession OF the Government
show that there is absolutely no foun-
dation but mud for the canal any
where across the isthmus and that its
building is physical impossibility.
This may or may not be true. Chief
Engineer Stevens, who was appointed
TO succeed Engineer Wallace when the
latter made up his mind that $65. 900
in the United States was better than
$25, 900 in Panama, hold the old engi-
neering theory that with q sufficient
amount of money, nothing in the en-
gineering line is impossible. This,
like every other dogmatic statement,
is true only within limits. 1t is said
that there is dead body under every
cross-tie of the Panama Railway. This
is almost literally true. But the canal
is to be built under American auspices
and the first and greatest work will be
to clean up the isthmus. Here is
where Gen. Woods ability is expected
to come in. There is no denying that
Wood is strong personality and he
did good job OF municipal cleaning
at Santiago. The town was in lamen-
table condition when he took hold OF
it and he made it into decent, habi.
table city. Whether he can do the
same at Panama if he is given the
chance is another question.
Conditions at Panama are worse
than they ever were in Cuba, and that
was bad enough. Gen. Leonard Wood
is not gentleman who cares so much
for methods as for results. He proba-
bly, did good many things in Cuba
that were irregular and would hardly
stand the scrutiny OF court or a
Treasury Auditor. But roughshod dis.
regard for precedent is not bad thing
sometimes if it gets results. Should
Wood be sent to the Isthmus, he will
have job that his worst enemies will
not envy. At the same time he will
have chance such as few Americans
have ever had. The Americans people
as whole will not care much one way
or another. But they want that canal
built.
The President is having a NICE rest
full time on his vacation. He has the
Peace Commission ahoat and coming
his way, and almost wound up the::row
in the Department of Agriculture with.
out firing either the Secretary or the
Chief Statistician, almost got the scan.
dal in the Government Printing Office
settled after a fashion, when along
came the employe; of the Navy Yard
at Washington with the plea that they
are being overworked this hot weather
Then the President rebelled and put
the matter up to the new Secretary Of
the Navy. Thus Secretary Bonaparte'e
first trouble commences.
The complaint OF the Navy Yard
employees is that they were promised a
half holiday along with the other Gov
eminent employees. This was granted
them on the condition that the work
at the yard was in such shape that the
services OF the men could be dispensed
with without hampering the other de.