The Irish standard., 1905-05-27

VINO 90 well mere Will become famous
as specialists the world over Said
one of the chief engineers to me the
other night:
For the next ten years the whole
world will be watching the isthmus
and no mans work can be hidden un-
der bushel. If one makes reputa-
tion at Panama he can command his
own salary anywhere, and besides, the
opportunities for development, for the
bringing out of character and making
men are nowhere SO great.
1--WE engineers have to take things
in the rough. We are working with
all sorts of materials and we have
to invent new processes at every step.
1t is safe to say that scores of men
who are now employed here as en-
gineers will within the next five years
be known in their profession all over
the world, whereas they would not
have advanced had they remained in
the United States."
Among the worst kickers at Panama
have been the government clerks.
During the winter great dissatisfaction
prevailed, and in the height of the
yellow fever season, had there been
free transportation home, Uncle Sam
would have lost three-fourths of his
employees. Conditions are better now,
salaries have been advanced in many
cases and there is much better spirit
among the men.
Our clerks are of superior class.
They are above the average in intelli-
gence, and, 1 might say, culture; but
it seems to me they are below the
average of sturdy Americanism in en-
durance, ambition and stick-to-itive-
ness.
| Most of them come from cities
where they have been accustomed to
all sorts of luxuries, and large num-
ber are from the government mills at
Washington, which invariably grind
the ambition out of man and make
him constitutional kicker. Many of
them are soft and putty-like. They
came down here for good time and
the trip, and they have been scared by
diseases and little hardship.
AS far as l can learn many of the
clerks came to the isthmus under
false representations. The recruiting
officers of the old commission painted
Panama as paradise. They told the
clerks the would be given luxurious
furnished quarters amid the cocoanut
trees and other beauties of the trop
les; that pleasure would be plenty
and living cheap.
When the men came they found
everything in preparatory stage
Two or three clerks had to sleep in
one room, and in some cases the fur
niture was scarce. They found board
ing higher than they had expected
and it cost them IS week for theil
eating. There were no street car lines
and cab fares were ten cents trip.
AS to pleasure, there was nothing
but bull fight on Sunday or a walk
alone on the Panama wall. There
were plenty of girls, but they were
OF all colors except white.
One pretty American boy of eigh
teen plaintively remarked to me thai
he did not dare to look at girl more
than three times before her father
came around and asked his intentions;
and as for seeing fair, blue bloodeG
Panaman outside the presence of hel
whole family from the infant in arms
to the gray-haired grandmother ir
glasses it was absolutely impossible
And still Panama is good place fol
the young man who is willing to rough
it and who wants to make the most o
himself. The wages are high and ad
vancement, for good men, is rapid.
know many clerks who came here al
SIS per month who are now getting
800 and even $125 or $3.50 per month
The average monthly salary of suct
men is about $112. Good men here
can easily show what they can do;
and the salaries are advanced in pro
portion to the work.
AS to health, the isthmus has few
more dangers than the United States
and in many respects the climate is
better. There is almost no grippe mol
pneumonia, and, with six weeks va
cation-which is granted with full pay
the man who is careful ought tt
keep we'll.
AS to expenses, board is now higher
than in the United States, but fur
nished rooms are given the clerks, and
the young man who wants to save can
do so. The trouble with many OF
Uncle Sans young employees is that
they have extravagant habits. One
for instance, gave me the following as
the monthly expenses:
| Table board, s25; laundry, IS; room
cleaning and bed making, IS; riding
to and from Office at 10 cents a trip
Sc; horseback rides on Sunday, twice
month, at 81, So; total, $40.
| I told this clerk that If he was
anxious to save and make his way II
would not hurt to walk the distance
of less than a mile from his quarters