New-York tribune., 1905-11-19
Mr. TAFT TELLS OF CANAL.
MUCH PROGRESS NOTED.
Says Problem Is to Transport W hat
Is DUG.

st. Louis. Nov 1S.-Wiiliam II. Taft. Secretary of
War. tonight the guest of honor at the month
iy banquet of the ST. Louis Commercial Club He
arrived early in the morning from Washington and
at the Union Station by delegation from
the Commercial Club and escorted to the home OF
Charles Nage president of the club. where he will
be entertained until tomorrow evening, when he
departs for Kansas City to deliver address on
Monday night.
The dinner tonight held at the ST. Louis
Club and covers we're laid for 100 persons. Presi-
dent Charles Nagel presided and introduced Secre
tary Taft, who spoke on The Panama Canal" He
said:
Your president. Mr.. Nagel, has suggested as
nal, and shall follow " his | advice You can read
and cs for
nor constructor of works. There is phase OF
lot to have somethihs % T" to do ' The canal
built by by thu the &c Of the pR5ed s stsp to
review the history of the canal construction from
cRssed Rs sednSP9he he Gsf5
supervision over those appointed to do the work
and the methods pursued by them.
Secretary Taft then in detail told of the history
Of the canal to the present time and discussed
the various routes which have been advocated
The decision of Congress in favor of the Panama
route was undoubtedly wise one. he said. The
theory advanced by opponents of the Panama
Canal and by opponents of any canal that the route
of the canal has not been finally decided on was
utterly unfounded. Mr.. Taft said. He continued:
come now to the separation of Mr. Wallace
soner Mr.. Wallace is a gentleman for whose engi-
had - Always @ much @ teI respect and except one
gard my oRnE1n has not ohanged ed m Mr. sr Waafs H
the workings of the first commission and had rea-
incident TO his work due to the cumbersome ma
chinery and the sowness with which decisions and
the reorganization nv was determined upon Mr.. Wal,
the nsW pan This O he fu and sratefy
proved Hs was directed to come to washington rs sa
and expressed himself a highly pleased with the
os aa sG aG 1se t
he had hoped for in the reorganization was accom-
was se member @ Of the he comisson @ @ and member Of
the executive committee Of the commission in ac-
work on the sthnus. with Mr. shents railroad
man and classnnate of his. TO back him as CHIEF
s had not however been back IN Psnsma more ore
Sus sas @ rsaHs si to rs Go to ss
for u heard es fro rsss
salary IA and that he ;. IN 9 sesp ta the
North and at an appointed Interview stated to me
that he had received an offer Of $4,000 and had
the members of Of the eonn!ssiOn as far possible
b b Of he eho b G that he could
not and would not go back to the isthmus at all.
the @ that aouatad him p IN wIthars wing put
s acs ht fe his G he a Been soy r a ea
engineer resident on the isthmus, that on account
isthmus his presence there vas Of the highest st I
% and that o for him to G16 on osr as sd m
decline without further notice to stay the 18TH
motives thsf did not think his contini,ibs h,s rs
1ation with the commission would be Of any ser
Mr wallace feels that have dons him great IN
sderetion which I led hin him to to sever his relations
ment's methods Of business. and that the health
to lis thas sa be-
sf h he did not 9S do my fies S ss a ihs
fuly the cause of his Withdrawal: Rs says that
and that he might sevsr his rslstica at any tas
II M Wsfee W n bHg was nusneea ri s eaer BY y coEd
ing that govsrnmental methods wsse so In corfict
d h oS .ss do cus or @ a d4 b. he 5 otss ss
ov sna fh him hdFG M bm that nusp ssy
FsETs +{da !, it. i, but submit that my ifersnee wss js
action except a higher salary
ACTUAL. PROGRESS MADE
81 come now TO discuss the actual progress which
has been made" Mr. Taft went on BY Decem-
Der shall have spent SEQ 600, 600 in the
of acquiring tr,lnsisthmian canal. The two ques-
tons which the American people have a right to
ask are first, Have proceeded without unnec-
essary delay? Have received moneys
worth?' He added:
Mr.; Wallace took hold in June 1so4. Considering
made since then That which was done in year un-
than what has been done under Mr. shonts and
Mr. Stevens and the commission In three
Of Pus !aa fe he Human
chfnery for building this canal. progress toward
smooth coordination and satisfactory results is
slow. Many thoughtless persons cry out, why
does not the dirt begin to fly? The way to build
the canal is to dig" Such remarks only show the
ignorance of the authors and their complete failure
to understand the real character of what has to be
done The canal is TO be built by manual labor and
machinery. The number Of laborers required VIII
perhaps be 25,0 49,
And now 1 shall speak Of something which will
not take long, but 1t is a most important mat
ter at this juncture. Fifty millions OF dollars were
taken out OF the Treasury of the United States,
$40 900 600 for the French Panama Canal Company
and So 100000 the Republic of Panama, to give
the canal IL is the right of way and the
Panama Railroad Ten millions voted to
begin the preliminary work the canal. Tnat
s10O00.10O is about exhausted.
The payroll at present amounts to something
like s6O0OO0 month, and there is not enough money
hand after the payment of the bills to meet the
terial and supplies which should be paid at once.
The delay is quite oppressive and unjust to the
creditors of the government 1t will be necessary,
therefore, for Congress to make an emergency ap-
preparation to carry the work without calamitous
interruption. Nothing could be more disastrous
weeks l know there is disposition in some quar-
ters and possibly among some members OF Con
gress to reinyestigate everything connected with
The canal But while this desire to know all about
the canal and construction is most commendable
II will hardly be allowed to delay the current
that is now being successfully carried on.
CORE4N PROTECTORATE.