Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-01-12
President Sends an Interesting Letter
to Congress in Transmitting Com.
missions Annual Report.
REPORTS OF GRAFT UNTRUE
Scores the Scandal Mongers Who
Have Attempted to Discredit
the Great Work.

uIdue DuDIlc, ana the Panama RallTOdC
company, together with Secretary
Iaft's letter transmitting the same
follows:
II enclose herewith the annual re
pert of the Isthmian canal commits
sion, the annual report of the Panama
Railroad company, and the secretary
OF wars letter transmitting the same
together with certain papers.
The work on the isthmus is being
admirably done and great progress
has been made especially during the
last nine months. The plant is being
ade ready and the organization per
t"ft"d. The first work to be done
was the work of sanitation. the nee
essary preliminary to the work of ac-
tual construction and this has been
pushed with the utmost energy and
means. In a short while | shall lay
before you the recommendations of
the commission and of the board of
consulting engineers as to the proper
plan to be adopted for the canal itself.
together with my own recommends
tons thereon. All the work so far has
been done not only with the utmost
expedition. but in the most careful and
thorough manner and what has been
accomplished gives us good reason to
believe that the canal will be dug in
shorter time than had been antici-
pated and at an expenditure within
the allotted amount All our citizens
have right to contribute their SER
vices on the high standard of eff
cheney and integrity which has been
hitherto maintained by the represen-
tatlves OF the government in doing
this great work. If this high standard
OF efficiency and integrity can be main
tanned in the future at the same level
which it has now reached. the CON
structlon of the Panama canal will be
one of the features to which the peo-
pie of this republic will look back with
the highest pride.
Prom time, to time. various pub
locations have been made and from
time to time, in the future. various
similar publications doubtless will be
made purDorting to give an accoun-
OF lobberS or immortality. or neffi-
cheney, or misery, as obtaining on the
lsthmus. | have carefully examined
into each of these accusations which
seemed worthy of attention. In every
instance, the accusations have proved
or form. They spring from several
sources. Sometimes they take the
shape of statements of irresponsible
investigators of a sensational habit of
mind incapable of observing or repeat
ing with accuracy what they see and
deslrous of obtaining notoriety by
widespread SANDER.
Hits Sensation Monqers.
~.
are given currency by individuals with
personal grievances. The sensation
mongers both those who stay at home
and those who visit the isthmns. NAV
ground their accusations on false
statements by some engineer who
having applied for service on the com.
mission, had been refused such ser.
vice. and now endeavors to discredit
his successful competitors or by some
lessee or owner of real estate who has
SOUGHT action or inaction by the CON-
mission to increase the value of his
lots and is bitter because the COM |
mission cannot be used for such DUR |
poses, or on the tales of disappoint- |
ed bidders for contracts. or of office |
holders who have proved incompetent |
OF who have been suspected of corrup-
ton and dismissed. or who have been
overcome by panic and fed from the |
1sthmus. Every specific charge relat.
ing to jobbery. to immortality, Or to in.
efficiency from whatever source II has
come, has been Immediately investi-
gated and in no single case have the
statements of these sensation mon
gers and the interested complainants
cehlnd them proved true The only
dlscredit inhering in these false accu-
saf1ons is to those who originate and
give them currency and who, to the
extent of their ability thereby hamper
and obstruct the completion of the
great work in which both the honor
and the interest of America are so
deeply involved. It matters not wheth-
err those guilty of the false accusa-
tons utter them in more wanton reck.
lessness and folly. or in a spirit OF
sinister malice to crafty some person
al or political grudge.
ANY attempt to cut down the sal
aries of the officials of the isthmian
commission or of their subordinates
who are doing important work would
be ruinous from the standpoint of &C
complishing the work effectively. To
quote the words of one of the best OBJ
servers on the isthmus 'demoraliza-
ton of the service is certain If the
reward for successful endeavor is a
reduction of pay"
Nut Pay Well.
I'VE are undertaking in Panama a
gigantic task-the largest piece of en-.
eineering ever done. The employment
OF the men engaged thereon is only
temporary and yet it will require the
highest order of ability If it is to be
done economically, honestly and eff.
GENTLY To attempt to secure men to
do this work on insufficient salaries
would amount to putting a premium
On 1nefficiency and corruption. Men
fit for the work will not undertake it
unless they are we'll paid In the end,
the men who do undertake it will be
left to seek other employment with
their chief reward the reputation they
achieve. Their work is infinitely more
difficult than any private work. both
because of the peculiar conditions or
the tropical land in which it is laid,
and because it is impossible to free
them from the peculiar limitations in
separately connected with government
employment. While it is unfortunate
II true that men engaged in public
work. no matter how devoted and dis
interested their services. must expect
to he made the objects of misrepresen-
tations and attacks. At best, their
OCSjtiOnS therafore GRO mt ottro o+;y.