The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-01-12
ROOSEVELT DEGREES
SENSATION MONGERS
President Says Reports OF
Crookedness in Canal Work
Are Untounded.
HAS INVESTIGATED THEM
He Declares They Often Originate from,
Interested Partics-Deelares the
Salaries Now Paid Shouldn't
Be Cut.

Interested Partics-Declares the
Salaries Now Paid Shouldn't
Be Cut.
Washington, D. c.. Jan. 10-President
Roosevelt in his letter transmitting to
congress the annual reports of the
lsthmian canal commission and Pam
anna Railroad company, says:
Work on the i&sthmus is being adj
mirably done, and great progress has
been made, especially during the last
nine months. A plant is being made
ready and the organization perfected.
THE first work to be done was the
work of sanitation, a necessary pre-
linlinary to the work of actual con-
struction, and this has been pushed
forward with the utmost energy and
means. In a short While [ shall lay
before you the recommendations of the
commission and the board of consult
ing engineers as to the proper plan to
be adopted for the canal itself, to-
gether with my w recommendations
thereon. All work so far has been done
not only With the utmost expedition,
III in the most careful and thorough
manner; what has been accomplished
gives us good reasons to believe that
the canal will be dug in a shorter time
than has been anticipated, and at an
expenditure within the estimated
amount. All our citizens have the right
to congratulate themselves upon the
high standard of efficiency and integ-
rity which has been hitherto MAIN
tained by the representatives of the
government in doing this great work.
If this high standard of efficiency and
integrity can be maintained in the flu
ture at the same level which it has
now reached, the construction of tine
canal will be one of the features to
which the people of this republic will
look back with the highest pride.
Takes UP the Slanderers.
.sFrom time to time various publica.
lions have been made, and from time to
time in the future various similar pub
locations doubtless will be made, pur-
porting to give an account of jobbery.
immortality, inetficiency and misery, as
obtaining on the isthmus. L 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
ments by irresponsible Investigators of
a sensational habit of mind, incapable
of observing or repeating with accu-
racy what they see, DESTROYS of obtain
ing notoriety by Widespread SANDER.
More often they originate with or are
given currency by, individuals With Il
personal grievance.
Sensation mongers, both those who
stay at home and those who visit the
isthmus, may ground their accusations
on false statement by some engineer
who, having applied for service on the
commission and been refused such serN-
ice, now %endeavors to discredit his sue
ooeSf,,1 .npr,patifnrc. or nv Como 1acCoo,
or owner of real estate who has sought
action or fnaction 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 ofIiceholders 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 istllmus. Every
specific charge relating to jobbery inn
morality and iaefIiciency, from what
ever source it has come, has been i'm
mediately investigated and in no Single
instance have the statements of these
sensation mongers, and interested COM
plainants behind them, proved true.
The only discredit inhering in these
false accusations is to those who origin
ate them and give them currency, and
who, to the extent of their abilities.
ttetilliCl LIZ oDsoAl ~ NlIS GUILE
pletion of the great work in which both
the honor and interest of America are
so deeply involved.
Shouldn't Cut Salaries
ut matters not whether those guilty
of these false accusations utter them
in mere wanto reckfessless and folly
or in a spirit of sinister malice TO
crafty some personal or political
grudge.
W GA $40 o,,1 To ant 1ry,,, {1,o 4
ies. of officials of the isthi1ian commits
si& or of their subordinates. who are
doing important work. would be ruinous
rom the standpoint of accomplishing
work effectively. To quote the words of
one of the best observers on the 18TH
mus:
Decentralization of The service is
certain il a reward for successful ell
deavor is a reduction of pay"
wv are undertaking in Panama a
gigantic task, the largest piece of en-
gineering ever done, economically, hon-
! estly and efficiently. To attempt to Sc
ure men to do this work on insufficient
salaries would amount to putting 4
premium upon inefTiciency and corrup-
ton. Men fit for the work will not un-
dertake it unless they are we'll paid.
In the end the men who do undertake it
will be left to seek other employment
as their chief reward is the reputation
Iley dCIliGNS.
Men Must Be Public Spirited.
..Their work is infinitely more diff
cult han n private work. both be-
cause of the peculiar conditions of the
tropical land in which it is laid, and
because it is impossible TO free them
from the peculiar limitations INSOFAR
ably connected with government en-
ployment; while it is unfortunately true
that e engaged in public work, nc
matter how devoted and disinterested
their services, must expect to be made
the objects of Misrepresentation and
attack. At the best. therefore, theil
positions are not attractive in proper.
ton to their Importance, a.ad among the
men fit to do the task. only those with
q genuine of public spirit and
eager to do a great work for the works
sake can be obtained. and such men
cannot be kept if they are to be treated
with n~iggardliness and parsimony III
addition to the certainty that false ac.
cusations will continually be brough,
against them"
Should Not obstruet Canal.
81 repeat that the work on he 18th.
nus has been done and is being done