The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-08
PRESIDENT COURTS
A CANAL INQUIRY
Roosevelt Takes Up Charges Of
Jobbery, Inefficiency and
Scandal.
Asks Congress that Men on the
Work Be Decently
Paid.

Washington, JAM S.-The letter of
the secretary of war to the president,
transmitting the annual reports of the
isthmian canal commission and of the
president of the Panama Railroad COM
pany, together with the reports, were
received by the two houses of congress
today. The. report of the canal com
mission has been made public.
Secretary Taft, in his letter, advised
the president that there is to be ma
!ority and a minority report from the
board OF consulting engineers as to the
type of canal to be recommended, and
bic from e General spo Davis vi ree Chairman Of
the board, who will meet the foreign
members in Brussels on Jan. 9, con
frmation of the majority report. The
minority report is being prepared, he
added, and he hopes that the whole
matter may be presented for submits
sion to congress by the LIST Of February.
The President Reports.
The president says, in presenting
"The work on the isthmus is being
admirably 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, the necessary preliminary
to the work of actual construction, and
| utmost energy and means.
I'm short while I shall lay before
you the recommendations of the com,
mission and Of the board of consulting
engineers as to the proper plan to be
adopted for the canal itself, together
with my own recommendations thereon
All the work SO far has been done, not
only. with the utmost expedition, but
in the most careful manner, and what
! has been accomplished gives us goot
reason to believe that the canal viii
be dug in a shorter time than had beer
anticipated and at an expenditure
within the estimated amount.
| Congratulations Due.
All our citizens have a right t,
congratulate themselves upon the hig1
standard Of efficiency and integrit,
which has been hitherto maintained b,
the representatives of the government
In doing this great work. If the higl
! standard of integrity can be main
tanned in the future at the same leve
which it has now reached, the cor
struction Of the Panama canal will b
one of the features to which the peopl
Of this republic will look back with tn
highest pride.
/ .*From time to time various public:
tions have been made and from tim
! to time in the future various simila
= publications. doubtless will 2 be mad,
purporting to give an account Of iot
berry, or immortality, or ineffieney, Q
misery, as obtaining on the isthmus.
Accusations False.
Il II have carefully examined int
each Of these accusations which SCENE
! worthy of attention. In every instanc
the accusations have proved to be will
out foundation in any shape or form
They spring from several sources
Sometimes they take the shape Of state
ments by irresponsible investigators o
a sensational habit Of mind, incapabl
/ of observing or repeating with acc,
racy. what they see and DESTROYS Of oil
tanning notoriety by widespread sla1
der. More often they originate will
or are given currency by, individual
with personal grievance.
'eThe sensation-mongers, both thos
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