Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-01-10
SENSATION ONLY Thin AIR
President Says Panama Canal Is
Making Great Progress.
NO GROUND FOR CONCERN
Scandalmongers Have Personal Ambi-
lions and Can Do No Harm-Is
Against Cutting Salaries.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Jan. S.-The
letter of President Roosevelt transmit
ting to Congress the annual reports of
1sthmian canal commission and the Pa
mama Railroad company, together with
Secretarw Taft's letter transmitting the
same, is as follows:
The work on the isthmus is being ad-
mirably done, and great progress has been
made, especially during the last nine
months The plant is being made ready and
the organization perfected. The first work
to be done was the work Of sanitation
Will Not Take Long Time.
In short while I shall lay before you
the recommendations of the commission
as to the proper plan tc be adopted for
the canal itself, together with my own
recommendations thereon.
What has been accomplished gives us
good reason to believe that the canal will
be dug In shorter time than had been
anticipated, and at an expenditure within
have a right to congratulate themselves
upon the high standard of efficiency and in
tegrity which has been hitherto maintained
by the representatives of the government
In doing this great work.
ALI Sensation Falls Flat
From time to time various publications
have been made and from time to time III
the future various similar publication
doubtless will be made, purporting to give
an account of jobbery, or immortality, or in
isthmus. | have carefully examined into
each of these accusations which seemed
worthy of attention In every instance the
accusations have proved to be without foun
dalton in any shape or form.
They spring from several sources. Some
times they take the shape of statements by
irresponsible investigators of a sensational
habit of mind, incapable of observing Oh
roD9atlDp with what they and
DESTROYS of obtaining notoriety by wide
spread SANDER. More often they originate
with or given currency by individuals with
a personal grievance.
No Cut in Salaries.
ANY attempt to cut down the salaries OF
the officials OF the isthmian commission OF
of their subordinates who are doing iinpor
tant work, would be ruinOuS from the
| standpoint of accomplishing the work eff
fectively. To quote the words of one OF
moralization of the service is certain if the
reward for successful endeavor is a reduc
ton of pay
We are undertaking in Panama a gigantic
task-the largest piece of engineering eyel
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
hc1ently. To attempt to secure men to dc
this work on insufficient salaries would
amount to putting a premium upon inef
dciency and corruption.
Must Not Be Niggardly.
I repeat that the work on the isthmus
has been done and is being done admirably
The organization is good. The mistakes are
extraordinarily few, and these few have
been of practically no consequence The
zeal intelligence and efficient public service
of the fsthmian commission and its sub
ordinates have been noteworthy. l cour1
the fullest, most exhaustive and most
searching investigation of any act of theirs
q NJ ono of i-
have done wrong his punishment shall be
exemplary. But l ask that they be decent
ly paid and that their hands be upheld as
long as they act decently.
On any other conditions we shall not be
able 10 get men of the right type to do the
work; and this means that on any other
condition we shall insure, if not failure al
least delay, scandal and inefficiency in the
task of digging the giant canal.