The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-08
COURTS
A CANAL INQUIRY
Continued From First Page.

u . s. r ( r .
who. stay at home and those who visit
the isthmus, may ground their accusa-
lions on false statements by some engl-
neer who, having applied for service
on the commission and been refused
such service, now endeavors to, discredit.
his successful competitors: or by some
lessee or owner of real estate who has
; sought action on inaction by the com
mission to increase the value Of his
lots, and is bitter because The commit
tee cannot be used for such purposes;
or on the tales Of disappointed bidders
for contracts or OF otficehOlders who
have proved incompetent or who have
been suspected of corruption and dis
missed, or who have been overcome by
panic and have fed from the isthmus.
No Jobbery Proven.
"Every specific charge relating. to
:iobbery, to immortality or to ineHicien-
cy, from whatever source it has come,
has been Immediately investigated and
in no single instance have the STAG.
ments of these sensation mOngers aid
the interested compliments behind
them been supported. rs., @
's1The only discredit inhering in these
false accusations is to those who origi-
nate ard give them currency, and who,
to2the extent Of their abilities, 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
, whether those guilty Of these false ac-
cusations utter them in mere wanton
recklessness and folly or in spirit of
sinister malice to crafty some person
al or political grudge. -.
Against Salary Cut.
| "Any attempt to cut down the sala-
ries Of the officials of the isthmian COM
mission or of their subordinates who
are doing important work, would be
ruinous from the standpoint of accom-
|plishing,, the work effectively. To
quote the words of. one Of the best
ton Of the service is certain if the re-
ward for successful endeavor is re-
duction Of pay. -. ~. -.
eve are undertaking in Panama a
gigantic task, the largest piece Of engi.
| neering ever done. The employment of
the men engaged thereon is only tempo
rary, and yet it will require the high
est order Of abilityHif it is to be done
economically, honestly and efficiently
HTo attempt to secure men to do this
work on insufficient salaries would
amount to putting a premium upon in
efficiency and corruption. Men fit fol
the work will not undertake it unless
they are well paid. In the end the mel
who do undertake it will be left to seek
other employment, with, as their chief
reward, the reputation they achieve.
Harder Than Private Work.
"Their work is infinitely more diff
cult than any private work, both be
cause of the peculiar conditions of tn,
, tropical land in which it is laid, ant
because it is impossible to free then
from the peculiar limitations insepara
bly, connected with government employ
ment, while it is unfortunately true tina
men engaged in public work, no matte
how devoted and disinterested their ser
5 vices, must expect to be made the oh
: jects Of Misrepresentation and attack.
. CAT best, therefore, the positions ar
not attractive in proportion to their in,
y portance, and among the men fit to d
3 the task only those with a genuine sens
r of public spirit and, eager to do tn
, great work for the work s. sake, can b
. obtained, and such men cannot be KEEP
i they are to bei TIT With niggardli
}f Bs b f5 Snst them
+ 49,. Work Done Admirably,
IT repeat that the work on the 18th
mus has been done and is being don
admirably. The organization is gooc
|, The mistakes are extraordinarily fey
Q and these few have been of practicall
d no consequence. The zeal, intelligence
g and efficient public service of the istl
g milan commission and it's subordinate
= have been noteworthy.
k Il court the fullest, most exhaustiv
h and most searching investigation Of an
t act Of theirs, and if any one of them
a ever shown to have done wrong his DuT