The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-01-11
President Says Reports Of
Crookedness in Canal Work
Are Unfounded.
HAS INVESTIGATED THEM
Ne Declares They Often Originate from
Interested Partiss--Deelares the
Salaries Now Paid Shouldn't
Be Cut.


isthmian canal commission and Pan
ANA Railroad company, says:
Work on the isihmus IL being nd
rirably done. and great progress has
been made. especially during the last
nine months. 4 plant Is being made
ready and the organization perfected.
The first work TO be- done WAS the
work Of sanitation. a necessary pre-
llminary To tho work OF actual con-
Etructiou. and this has been pushed
forward with the utmost energy and
means. In short while 1 shall lay
before you the recommendations OF the
commission and the board OF consult
Ing engineers m To the proper plan To
be adopted for the canal Itself. to-
gcther with my own recommendations
thereon. All work so far has been done
not only with the utmost expedition,
but In the most careful and thorough
manner; what has been accomplished
gives us good reasons To believe that
the canal will be dug In shorter time
than has been anticipated. and nj an
expenditure within the estimated
amount. All our citizens have the right
10 congratulate themselves upon the
high standard OF efficiency and intcg-
rity which has been hitherto main
tanned by the representatives or tho
government an doing this great work.
Integrity can be maintained In the fu-
ture nj the same level which II has
now reached. the construction OF the
canal will be one OF the features TO
which the people OF this republic will
look back with the highest pride.
Takes Up ths Slanderers.
From time io time various publlca-
lions have been made. and from time to
time In the future various similar pub
lications doubtless VIII be made, pur-
porting To give AN account OF Jobbery.
immortality. incHCicncy and misery. ms
obtaining Ola the isthmus. 1 have care
fully examined into each OF these ac-
cusatiOns which seemed worthy of at
tention. In every instance the acCu-
sations have proved to be without
foundation In any shape or form. They
spring from several sources. Some
times they take the shape OF state
mcuts by irresponsible investigators OF
a ensatiouai habit or mind. incapable
OF observing or repeating with accu-
racy what they see. DESTROYS OF obtain
ing nuturicLy by widespread Islander.
More often they originate with or are
given currency by, individuals with Il
persona! grievance.
''sensatlun mongers. both those who
stay at home and those who visit the
isthmus. may ground their accusations
on false statements by some engineer
who. having applied FOR service OF the
commission ana been refused such scTy-
ice. now eudcavors TO distrcdn his sue
ceasfIl competitors; or by some lessee
or owner OF real estate who has sought
action or innCtion by the commission To
increase the value OF his lots. and Is
bitter because the commission cannot
be used for such purposes; or on tales
OF disappointed bidders for contracts.
or OF ofliceholdcrs who have proved in
competent or who have been suspected
OF corruption and dismissed or who
have been overcome by panic and
have fed from the isihmus. Every
specific charge relating TO jobbcry Inn
morality and iuciliciency. from what
ever source IL has come. has been Inn
medlatCly Investigated and in no single
instance have thu statements OF these
sensation mongcrs. and Interested COM
plninnnts behind them. proved true.
The only disCrcdit inhcriug In these
false Accusations " To those who origin
ate them and give them currency. and
who. To the extent OF their abilities.
thereby hamper and obSiruct the com
piction o; the great work In which both
the honor aut interest OF Amerlcr are
10 deeply Involved.
ShouIdr's Cut Salaries.
1T natter no, whether tEugc .gu.lty
OF these false occupations utter them
In mere wAuiDu IeyklCSsncgs and FOLLY
or In Split uT sinister malice 10
Eratify come personal or political
grudRc.
Amy attempt tn cut down the salar-
&C.. OF officials 81 the isthmian CoImis-
ri& or of their subordinatcs. who are
doing important work. would be- rUinous
rom the standpoint OF accomplishing
work effectively. To quote the words of
one OF the best obs rVcrs o. the 18th
mus:
Generalization Of :hc service II
certain II a reward for successful en-
deavor is reduction OF pay"
We are undertaking In Panama n
gigantic task. the largest piece OF en-
gineering ever done. economically. hon
cstly and efficiently. To attempt To So
cure men To do this work OF insufficient
salaries would amount tn putting "A
premium upon ineificicncy and Corrup-
ton. Men az for the work will not un-
dertake II unless they are well paid.
In the end the men who do undertake IL
viii be left To seek other employment
as their chief reward In the reputation
they achieve.
Men Must BE Public Spirited.
Their work IL Infinitely more difIi-
cult than any private work. both be-
cause OF the peculiar conditions NJ the
tropical land ga which II is laid. aud
because u ~ impossible To free them
from the peculiar limitations INSOFAR
ably connected win government cm-
ployment: while Il Is unfortunately true
that nen engaged in public work. no
matter how devoted and dls!utcrCstrd
thelr services. must expect to b. mad"
the objects of misrepresentation and
attack. ~ the best. therefor. their
positions ar" not nttrIt ." in proper.
ton To their Importance. a among the
men NJ 10 dp the task. only those with
a genuine sense OF public spirit and
eager To- do e great work ln. al, work =
sake can D." obtained. ana such men
cannot be Kept N they are tp be- treated
with nlggdrillacss and pgrsImuuy In
addition To- IN" certainty thai false ac-
cuSatIons will continually be- brought
against them"
Should Not OkEtruet Canal.
Il repcut thnt the work on the 18TH
mus has been done and II being done.
admirably. The organization lis good.
Mistakes are extraordinarily f"w and
these few have been practically OF no
consequence.
The zeal. Intelligence and efficient
public scrvic" ~ tbs isthmiun commits
sion. and ils SuborJliuatcs have been
noteworthy.
Il court the frll u. most exhaustive
and most 70 investigation oi
any act or Y any one Of
-. a ..rssw