The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-18

honesty as i t breathes efficiency and energy, Above all, the work has been never heard even q sdggestion of spells politics in connection with 1t.
 T. have investigated every complaint brought to me for which there seemed to be any shadow of foundation. In two or three cases, all of which have indicated in the course of this message, came to the conclusion that there was foundation for the complaint, and that the methods of the Commission in this respect complained of could be bettered. In the other instances the complaints proved absolutely haseless, save in two or three instances Na ,h,o wness gre Commission had already itself found
 SIanderers and Lrbelers.
 So much for honest criticism. There remains an immense amount of reck- less, slander as has ever been publish ed. Where the slanderers are Of TOT eign origin I have no concern wltn them. Where they are Americans feel for them the heartiest contempt and indignation; because. in. 2 spirit or wanton dishonesty and malice, they ara trying to interfere with, and ham, Of the kind ever attempted, and are seeking to bring to nsught the efforts of their countrymen to put 70 Lne credit of America one of the giant feats tions of these slanderers constitute gross libel upon a body of public ser wants who, for trained intelligence expert ability, high character and dS" votion to duty, have never Deen ot e&Eeao' mnn among those directing the work on the Isthmus who has obtained his pc. sition on any, other basis than merit alons ana i'd aS Sns TSs top Ris sns owS Sa psr M Ronal or pecuniAry a0vantaGe.
 Plan To Build By Contract.
 After the most careful considera. tion we have decided 70 iet OIs 1ze n can come to satisfactory terms with tne oontractors The whole work Is of q kind suited to the peculiar genius or oned me fype of contractor best fitted 10 RPapel with it. It is of course much better to do the work in large part by contract than to do it all by the the one hand to secure to the contract or A suflcient remuneration to make 1t worth while for responsible contrac- tors of the best kind to undertake the work; and provided on the other ,,i nano aNt 1t can be done on terms which VIII not give an excessive profit to the con" tractor at the expense of the BoY@ ernment. After much consideration the plan already promulgated by tne Secretary of War was adopted. This plan in its essential features was Srafted. after careful and thorough study and consideration, by the CnleI Engineer, Mr. Stevens, who, while m the employment of Mr. Fill. the Presi- dent of the Great Northern Railroad, had personal experience Of this very type of contract. Mr. Stevens thel submitted the plan to the Chairman ot the Commission, MT. Shonts. wno went carefully over it with Mir. Rogers, the legal adviser of the Commission, to see that all legal difficulties were met. He then submitted copies of the plan 10 both Secretary Taft and myself Sec retary Taft submitted 1t to some of the best counsel at the New York bar, and afterwards went over it very care- fully with Mir. Taft and MT. Shonts, and we laid the plan in it's general features before MT Root. My conclHsion is that 1t combines the maximum of advantage with the minimum of disadvantages Under 1t a premium will be put upon the speedy and economical construction on delay and waste The plan as pro- mulgated Is tentative; doubtless it will have to be changed in some respects agreement with responsible contractors perhaps even after the bids have been received; and of course 1t Is possible that we can not come to an agreement in which case the government will do the work itself. Meanwhile the work on the Isthmus is progressing steadily and without any let-up.
 "A SNUkAG AWAMENlMNrIOm&E ANEBNEEWs
 A seven-h headed commission Is of course 8 clumsy executive instrument. We should have but one commissioner, with such heads of departments and necessary. We should be expressly permitted to employ the best engineers in the country as consulting engineers.
 I accompany this paper with a map showing substantially what the canal will be like when 1t Is finished. When the Culebra cut has been made and the proposed). there will then be at both the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the canal two great fresh-water lakes. connected by broad channel running at the bottom of ravtne, across the backbone of the Western Hemisphere. Those best informed believe that the work will be completed in about eight years; but 1t Is never safe to prophecy about such a work as this, especially in the tropics.
 I am informed that representatives Boston. Chicago. Cincinnati and St, Louis-the membership of which in- cludes most of the leading business men of those cities. expect to visit the Isthmus for the purpose of examining the work of construction of the canal, l am glad to hear tt, and shall direct that every facility be Riven them to which the government Is doing. Such interest as a visit like this would in- dicate will have a good effect upon the men WnO are the WOEkt on one hand, while on the other hand 1t will offer as witnesses of the exact con ditions men whose experience as busi- ness men and whose impartiality will make the result of their, observations of value to the country as whole.
 Confident of Uultfmate Success.
 Of the success or the enterprise l am well convinced as one can be of any enterprise that is human. It is a stupendous work upon which our fellow countrymen are engaged down there on the Isthmus, and while we should hold them to a strict accounta- bility for the way in which they per form 1t, we should yet recognize. with frank generosity, the epic nature of the task on which they are engaged and it's world wide importance. They are doing something which will re- dound immeasurably to the credit of America. which will benefit all the world, and which will last for ages to come Under MT. Shonts and MT. Stew ems and Doctor Gorgas this work has started with every omen of good for ates, from the highest tn the lowest, are entitled to the same credit that we would give to the picked men of vic- torious army; for this conquest of peace will in its great and far-reaehing ef- feet, stand as among the very great est conquests, whether or peace or or war which have ever been won by any of the peoples of mankind. A badge is to be given to every American citizen who for a specified time has taken part in this work: for participation in 1t will hereafter be held to reflect honor upon inc man participating lust at 1t reflects honor upon soldier to have belonged riRhteousness. Our fellow countrymen on the Isthmus are working for our