The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-26
Ons Man or Firm Should be
 Held Responsible
RED TAPE IS OBJECTION
Distance from Washington Makes It Practically Impossible to Direct the Work Properly from
 That City.

New York. February 25.-John F. Was. lace, formerly chief engineer of the Pan- anna canal, has contributed an article to. the March number of the Engineering Magazine !" reeoundng his observations and experience during the year. in which ho was in charge of the construction work in the canal zone. In this article MT. Wallace declares to be his belief that it will require more time and money to construct a high-level canal on the S5- foot plan, under the present method of government control, than 1t will to con- struet a sea-level canal, provided the work is accomplished by modern efficient methods"
 He advocates either placing the work in the hands of one mana practical en- gneer-with unlimited authority; or let ting tne work to one large contracting firm.
 The article says in part:
 Scores Red Tape Methods.
 "Of the factors which exercise the greatest deterrent influence In the accom- plshment of satisfactory results under direct governmental control, the first is found in the laws governing the disburse- ment of public funds. The official and the commercial Ideals are evidenty dia- metrcally opposed. Whether after all the governmental methods secure greater honesty or less scandal in connection with disbursements. can be best judged by q comparison of the history of tine govern ment bureau with that Of our great husl- ness or engineering enterprises under col porate management.
 'It should be apparent to every think ing man that when the work must be con dueted. two thousand miles away from seat of government and policy imposing the necessity of referring all important questions to Washington and submitting them there to men who necessarily cannot be conversant with the conditions on tha isthmus unless they are informed by parties on the ground, cannot give satis- factory results, no matter how honest or efficient the supervision of this may be. | may perhaps feel too strongly on this point, but my experience at Panama-my occasional contact with governmental methods. reaching back to a service of five years as assistant engineer on river and harbor Improvements. has convinced me that attempts to carry on eonstruc- tive worK under the direction of Wash ington bureaus, especially when the work is large, is complicated and distant from the seat of government, are conducive ot extravaganza and waste as to both time and money. I am emphatically of the opinion the government functions on the isthmus should be confined exclusively to a general supervision of the work and enforcement of such simple ordinances and sanitary regulations as may be neces- sary to secure the peace and health of the community affected by the construc- tive work
 Should Be Under Single Head.
 "rhe question of control of the commits sary, the rate of wages paid by the sub contractors, and a host of other details. make If necessary to my mind for sin gle contracting organization 10 control the entire work Either the work should be put into hands of one strong man with practically unlimited authority combining technical and scientific training of the engineer with the administrative and exc cutve ability of man of force-with this should be coupled the separation Of all the matters connected with this work from the control of the ordinary govern ment departments in Washington-but un- der such supervision only as to insure the government that his administration is efficient; or that the same results should be accomplished through letting of the work to contracting firm, large enough 10 control under one management the entire constructive work on the isth- mus under broad and general speclfca- tlons, and under such general supervs- ion as may appear to Congress to be proper"
 In conclusion the article says:
 'If the experience had not been so serious. l should look back to my first connection with this enterprise and the experience gained herewith and smile ta .t,,Ir I c9 fn suppose myself able to overcome the ons settled influences heretofore indicated. or to impress my Individuality upon the work OF emploY the methods with which 1 had