Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-04


commission deem reasonably possible
or practical: that this advisory board
be invited to Washington for the pur-
pose OF agreeing upon it's recon-
mendations on the premises and If
possible such recommendations be
made before the regular meeting of
Congress in December; that the rec
concentrations be submitted to the
canal commission as then constituted
for its approval or modification and
with the recommendations of the can
al commission be submitted to the
President for his action. 1t has al
ready been suggested, this work, for
securing the best plan and it's APP
prevail by Congress should not delay
in any way the preliminary work
adapted to any possible plan of the
highly critical work of sanitation, the
extreme importance of which you have
already emphasized in your previous
instructions to the canal commission.
1T is considered even by it's own
members that the present commission
has not so developed itself into an
executive body as to give hope that
il may be used successfully as an in
strumentality for carrying on the i'm
mense executive burden involved in
the construction of the canal and it
remains for the President in the fail
ure of Congress to act. to reorganize
the commission. both by change in
personnel and by certain instructions
as to it's internal procedure and dis
tribution of powers and authority to
secure greater rapidity and efficiency
in the doing of the work.
1T is not to be supposed that Con-
gress intended that the commission
was personally to do the work or to
come nearer to the direct agencies in
doing the work than the directory of
a railroad comes to the construction OF
railroad work and we may assume.
therefore. that it was quite within the
congressional intent that the commas
sion might for convenience and rapid
ity of action after formulating the gem
eral plan of work. delegate to COM
nittee or committees the doing of the
work in detail the result to be report
ed subsequently of course to the tull
commission. The commission should.
therefore, appoint an executive COM
mttee to be empowered as hereafter
stated"
The secretary then states in detail
his plan for the division of the work
into departments and the reason there
for, all of which details are accepted
and promulgated in the Presidents or
der. The letter concludes:
"The change of headquarters and
power from Washington to the 18TH
mus will doubtless require radical
change 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 exist. Machinery for pur-
cha sc of supplies and Il force of Suif
Gent 10 maintain duplicate set OF
accounts and the necessary cores
pOndence must of course be maintained
in Washington, but very little else is
needed. But these changes may be
safely left to the commission and exec
utive committee.
Il submit herewith the recommended
lions of the canal commission to take
effect at your pleasure:
." respectfully recommend the APP
pointinent of local commission and d
designation of chairmOn. for the canal
zone, and the issuing of an executive
order embodying the recommendations
herein.
Respectfully yours.
"Wm. h. Taft, Secretary of War"
The President.
The Presidents action is indicated in
the following reply:
1.-THE White House. Washington, April
1. 1905.
"The practical result of the opera
lions of the isthmian canal commission
appointed and acting under previous
executive orders has not been satisfac-
tory and requires a change in the per-
sonnet of the commission and in the
instructions for its guidance.
1.-THE commission will hold quarterly
sessions the first of January. April,
July and october Of each year at the
office of the governor of the .isthmus
of Panama and will continue each Ses-
sion as long as public business may re-
quire. Further notice of such meetings
shall not be necessary to their regu-
larity. The commission may hold spec
ial sessions ut the call of the chairman.
Four members shall constitute quo
rum and the action of such majority
shall be the action of the commission.
The commission. under the supervi-
sion and direction of the secretary of
was ana subject to The approval of thu
President is charged with the general
duty Of the admiral for the maintenance
Of the canal and execution of the work
of the same: with the purchase and de-
livery of supplies. machinery and nee
essary plants: the employment of the
necessary officers. employees and labor
erS and with the fixing Of their salaries
and wages: with the commercial opera
ton of the Panama Railroad of Com
pany and it's steamship lines as COM
mon carriers; with the utilization of the
railroad as a means IF constructing the
canal; with the making of contracts for
construction and excavation and with
all other matters incident and neces-
Sary to building of a waterway across
the isthmus of Panama as provided by
the act of Congress OF June IS 1902.
For convenience and to secure the
interrupted course Of the work an ex-
ecutivc committee of not less than
three members of the commission shall
be appointed to act in place of the COM