The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-03-31
GETTING READY 10 DIG
II. G. Burt. Former Head ct the Mis-.
souri Pacific, May Be the Real
Canal Builder.

= clusiun of the meeting regarding The
V:liaI questions except that u state
ment on the general subject OF the de-
oiSiGns reached Will be made prior Il
the presidents departure ON ms sodl!i'
western trip.
III is stated chat the name of Horace
! G. Burt, froner president of the Union
Pacific, is under consideration for the
position of the executive head ri the
commission. but /: has not been ucciueu
whether he viii accept the place. Ills
appointment would Interfere III no re
sptct with the retention at the head
of the engineering work of the present
chief. Engineer Wallace. Who. assisted
by probably two other engineers. will
have control of the practical engineer
ing operations of the canal conStruc-
ton.
Burt as Business Head.
1t is the desire of the president aud
of Secretary Taft To make MIR. Burt
the business head of the canal orGani-
Hation and build up aroun him such an
organization rs he would require tc
d accomplish the great work he would
undertake as the head of the commits
sion. His salary. 1T is animated. Mill
not exceed SO. 0oG = year. Some de-
4 tails of the reorganization of the com
mission remain yet to be Worked ont.
II has not been determined definitely
whether the president has authority
10 Itlsltt lIlt illliliutI ~ 'P''IAliHSi'i'-
ers. but ii i'll should te decided that he
has the number will be reduced.
1t is said TO he not unlikely that Will
liam Barclay Parsons aud William ii.
Burt. TWO of the engineers NOW MEM
beers Of the commission. Will be re-
tanned as assistants TO t.ns'neer Wal
lace. In Other respects the commits
sion's personnel win he changed en-
tirely.
Secretary Taft has written the presi-
dent at some length on the report OF lpr.
G. A. l.. Reed as to the sanitary pro
visions made by the commission ON the
isthmus. and has received a reply from
The president.
Secretary Taft's Letter..
Following is the full text of the sec
reiary's letter and the presidents reply
thereto:
War Department. Washington. March Il,
le05.-The President: ] herewith transmit
charges contained in the report OF Dr.
q. A.. L.. Reed 10 me as TO The sanitary
provisions made by the isthmian canal
commission on the istimus.
l think that a reading of the two docu-
ments will show what indeeo WAS appai-
cnt on the face of DR.. Reeds statement
that mis- charges against the commission
We're biased and controverSial. and not
written in the judicial spirit that inspires
confidence in their justice and accuracy
Or. Reed visited the isthmus at my re-
quest to act as an assessor Of land upon a
commission provided by. III" treaty be
tween Panama and the United States. but
as he was the head Of the American Med
ical association. it seemed to me an OPP
portunity on his return TO secure informa-
ton from one skilled in his profession as
TO he existing conditions upon he 18TH
mus. In response TO my queries he was
so emphatic and so detailed in his charges
that | asked him 70 make his statement il
writing. which he did upon the same day
by the use of n ste~nograpncr. Ii is prob.
able that had he taken moro time he
.aN,,ll 800. 100 ,,r.- ..Ertr Ia At
criticisms. less extreme in his statements
and less fiippant in his r%cferencc TO tho
action OF tho commission. The report %
DIR. Reed was published without nay
Knowledge or consent.
Criticisms Unoa,icd for.
W.
IN ,Np'A u Nv S''ii'H ~
,hoM ~, ~ mt y. Nv nEi ilin, ~.
w aetioH ~ t'1t WI, mil =
amu aSreaH 70 ~ ooi9r,tI 1o,Sas anu W. II
o or !, i; ;s ,7n,,h.,o.s tr,,a ~, - CtoI
c.th'n!Ssion. = II u""naie g w" I'm ~
one! H0rsas ana ms stan heileNed mat :
IRE" nano IN lI' n'td'.i OF oiuet.nS con
. s,lMu,iGn S"pP'lI II f is on nc 'mrpihoSh,lne" ,b q
~ -" ~ - VI, lrouaoti t''a
nau o., %pi'fo 49, "a Wv Eo,iin.Sslon II
plies been dispensed with there woui,
!. have been fewer delays and less complain
on ihiS account: but in the eSpenditure o
such large sums as We're necessary fo
the organization OF the sanitary system
, the construction OF the plant and IN,
purchase of supplies, it may well b,
, doubted whether the commission woul,
have been discharEing its duty in with
: holding supervisory control.
t 1t is doubtless true that There have bcel
!. undue delays N the furnishing of wha
!. was needed for sanitary purposes on IN,
isthmus. but | venture 10 think tina this il
: due rather to the inherent ciumsincss q
the commission as an executive body than
to neglect. or willful nonaction of any
member of that beard. There must BE-
some restrain for purposes OF economy o,
expenditures hy al executive who has ii
mind the total expenditures and obliga
tons being incurred. To allow each de
partment to expcnd what in its judgmcn
! is necessary would certainly lead to OK
t~ravagancc and waste. The remedy 70
! the delays which may have occurred. i
SCENES to me. are TO be found in a rear
! rangement of the commission. with a new
: distribution of powers and the conferlins
l of the executive on one, or. at the most
: not more than three. members of tn,
commission. Will n general supervisor.
! and confirnnatory power n the commission
! as 4 body.
With your permission ! will submit in
! day or two a plan for the better ~carryin,
!. on Of the work of the commission whicl
-