Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-03-24
BOSSES AND CRED TAPE"

ming up of affairs regarding the
commission selected to build the
Panama canal. Every member
of the commission considers HIM
self the source from whence all
knowledge eminates. There has
been confusion in almost every
instance where the commission
undertook to do anything, and
all for the lack ef a practical
man at the head Of affairs.
Few, if any, of the commits
sioners were chosen originally on
account of their especial fitness
for the responsibilities of such al
gigantic task. They originated
a system Of acquisitions and all
necessaries for work and health
passed from one mans hands in
to another's, and so on, until the
man who originally made the
requisition had forgotten that he
had desired anything, in case
that the article ultimately reach
ed him. Should a mans life have
depended upon grain of quinineI
he certainly would have died for
for want of it-for under the
commission, that which is neces-
sary today may be expected 80
days hence, or later.
President Roosevelt did all in
his power to get the commission
cut down to three men, and, from
his action, it is but reasonable to
presume that one man would
have been preferable to him.
Where there are a number Of
men responsible if things go
wrong the responsibility cannot
be fixed upon anyone, for the
simple reason that the blame is
shifted from one man to another.
The commission has to it's credit so
far Interpolation of havingmade a
mess of things, and there are
men to be found who are of the
opinion that a part, at least, of
said mess might be traced to the
door of certain great transporta-
ton companies. If such were
true, the President would likely
be aware of it, or at least sus-
pect it; possibly this idea might
have impelled President Roose.
welt to come out so strongly in
favor of rate regulation of some
Of these railway companies; who
can say?
Be all of this as it may, it is
patent that affairs are in a bao
way, and men who, by specia.
training are qualified to judge
clearly, are not backward in scor.
ing the commission. A leader is
necessary and there is talk OF
placing Major General E. S. Otis
in charge of the building of the
canal. 1t is argued that the work
which he did in the Philippines
is a guarantee of his fitness fol
the construction of the Isthmus
canal.
On the other hand, it is claim
ed that President Roosevelt has
chosen Horace G. Burt, ex-presi
dent Of the Union Pacific, to dig
the canal, and that Mr.. Burt has
been offered a salary of $1OO, ,OO(
per year to take charge of affairs
The rank and file of the Ameri
can people chafe at delays, rec
tape, " and a menagerie of bosses
They want things to be hustled
along. Especially do the people
of the West want this ditch dug
quickly, as they are most inter.
ested. It is estimated that ter
years will be required to put the
canal from ocean to ocean, but
without a change from unquali.
fed 'schuckle heads to a mar
or two in charge of the work,
and who are in every way .capa-
bic, wide awake, full of energy
and enthusiasm, and loyal to the
trust bestowed upon him, orthem,
few of us will live to see the day
that a ship passed through the
Panama canal.
ABOUT GRIPPLES.