The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-03-31
GETTING READY TO DIG
H. G. Burt, Former Head Ct the MIS-
souri, Pacific, May Be the Real
Canal Builder


cisions reached will be made prior tC
the presidents departure on ms south
western trip.
1t is stated that the name of Horace
G. Burt, fromer president OF the Union
Pacific, is under consideration for the
position of the executive mead or lne
commission, but it has not been decided
whether he will accept the place. HIS
appointment would interfere in no re-
spect with the retention at the head
of the engineering work of the present
chief Engineer Wallace, who, assisted
by probably two other engineers VIII
have control of the practical engineer
ing operations of the canal conStruc~
ton.
Burt as Business Head.
1t is the desire of the president and
of Secretary Taft to make Mr. Burt
the business head of the canal organi-
cation and build up around him such an
organization as he would require 70
accomplish the great work he would
undertake as the head of the commits
sion. His salary, 1t is minated, will
not exceed $4,000 a year. Some de-
tails of the reorganization of the COM
mission remain yet to be worked out.
1t has not been determined definitely
whether the president has authority
to reduce the number of commission
ers but if 1t should be decided that he
has the number will be reduced.
1t is said to be not unlikely that Will
liam Barclay Parsons and William H.
Burt two of the engineers now mem
bers of the commission, will be re-
tanned as assistants to Engineer Wal
lace. In other respects the commits
sion's personnel will be changed en-
tirely.
Secretary Taft has written the presi-
dent at some length on the report of DR..
C. A. l.. Reed as to the sanitary pro-
l,,,t set
isthmus. and has received a reply from
the president.
Secretary Taft's Letter.
Following is the full text of the sec
retary's letter and the presidents reply
thereto:
War Department. Washington, March II,
1905.-Tle Pre- sidcnt: l herewith transmit
charges contained in the report of DR..
c. A.. L. Reed to me as to the sanitary
provisions made by the isthmian canal
commission on the isthmus.
| think that reading of the two docu-
ments will show what indeed was appar-
ent on the face of DR.. Reeds statement
that his charges against the commission
We're biased and controversial. and not
written in the judicial spirit that inspires
confidence in their Justice and accuracy.
DIR. Reed visited the isthmus at my re-
quest to act as an assessor of land upon
commission provided by the treaty be-
tween Panama and the United States. but
ical association, it seemed to me an OPP
portunity on his return to secure informa-
ton from one skilled in his profession as
to Che existing conditions upon he 18TH
mus. In response to my queries he was
so emphatic and so detailed in his charges
that l asked him to make his statement in
writing, which he did upon the same day
by the use of a stenographcr. 1t is prob
able that had he taken more time he
criticisms. less extreme in his statements
and less tlippant in his reference to the
action of the commission The report of
DR.. Reed was published without my
knowledge or consent.
Criticisms UncalIed for.
The reply of the commission seems to
show that large part of the plans and
the action Of the commission, which DR..
and agreed to by Colonel Gorgas and the
other medica! officers in the employ of the
commission 1t is doubtless true that Col
onel Gorgas and his staff believed that il
would he wiser to give them an entirely
free hand in the matter of ordering con-
struction supplies and the employment OF
had the approval of the commission in
the matter of directing construction SUP.
plies been dispensed with there would
have been fewer delays and less complaint
on this account: but in the expenditure of
such large sums as We're necessary for
the organization of the sanitary system,
the construction of the plant and the
purchase of supplies it may well be
doubted whether the commission would
nave Deen 0lSCnarSlnE It's DUTY in with.
holding supervisory control.
1t is doubtless true that there have been
undue delays IN the furnishing of what
was needed for sanitary purposes on the
iSthmuS but | venture to think that this is
due rather to the inherent clumsiness Of
the commission as an executive body than
to neglect. or willful nonaction of any
member of that board. There must be
some restrain for purposes of economy on
expenditures by an executive who has in
mind the total expenditures and obiga-
tons hpinp incurred To IL
partment to eXpend what in its Judgment
is necessary would certainly load to ex-
travasance and waste. The remedy for
the delays which may have occurred it
semes to me. are to be found in rear
| rangement of the commission. with a new
distribution of powers and the comforting
of the executive on one, or, at the most
not more than three, members of the
commission, with a general supervisory
and conlirmatory power in the commission
as a body.
With your permission will submit in a
day or two plan for the better carrying
may be embodied in a new series of in
structions. Respectfully yours,
VIM. H. Taft. Secretary of War.
Letter in Reply.
White House. Washington. D. c., March
received your report of March II. together
with the report of Dr. Reed and the an
| swer thereto made by the comm ssion. 1t
! appears from this that Dr. Reeds report
| (Which. of course. should under no cir
| cumstance have been given to the n,1biic
! until You chose so to give II and until tho
| answer thereto had been made by the com
| mission) was without your know]odpe
| printed in the Medical Journal II fur
! Their appears that the statements which ho
| thus published were in many instances IN.
! warranted by the facts. and his accusa
| lions in many instances unsupported nv
| proof
| DIR. Reed has not displayed in this re
| port the qualities of temperament or the
power of accurate judicial obserya ton
| NEEDED to make report valuable to the
| government. 1t Is true that he was not
! charged with the duty Of making such a
| report. and that he was appointed to he
| a commissioner to assess value or real es
| tate. Nevertheless, when he assumed 70
| make report on sanitary conditions at
| your request as secretary of war he was
under obligation 20 speak with care and
| justice on SO important a subject and TO
observe the prophecies as to Its publca-
/ ton.
| Judging from your report 1t appears that
! the chief differences that have risen have
! come from the inherent faultiness Of Tho
! law under which the commission was am
pointed. Il further appears, however that
in view of our experience with the work.
tngs OF the commission. Encouragement
of duties and change of personnel in
view of this Encouragement should he
made: I am glad that you are shortly TO
submit to me plan with these objects in
view. theodore Roosevelt.
La Toilette Men Are Anary.