The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-19

49, ~ W lug" AN Il | d
of their c%ountrymen to put to the
credit of America one of the giant
feats OF the age The outrageous
accusations of these slanderers con-
stitute a gross libel Upon a body Of
public servants who. for trained in.
telligence, expert ability, high charac-
ter and devotion to duty have never
been eXcelled anywhere. There is not
q man among those directing the work
on the isthmus who has obtained his
position or any other basis than merit
alone and not n who has used his
position in any way for his own per.
sonal or pecuniary advantage.
Plan to Build by Contract.
After most careful consideration we
have decided to let out most Of the
work by contract if we can come to
satisfactory terms with the contrac.
tors. The whole work Is of a kind
suited to the peculiar genius of our
people; and our people have devel.
oped the type of contractor best fitted
to grapple with it. 1t is Of courso
much better to do the work in large
part by contract than to do it all by
the government, provided It is possible
on the n hand to secure to the con.
tractor a sufficient remuneration to
make 1t worth while for responsible
contractors Of the best kind to UNDER
take the work; and provided on the
other hand it can be done on terms
which will not give an excessive profit
to the contractor at the expense Of
the government. After much consid.
GRAFTON the plan already promulgated
by the secretary of war vas adopted.
This plan In its essential features was
drafted, after careful and thorough
study and consideration, by the chief
engineer, Mr.. Stevens, who, while in
the employment of Mr.. Hill. the pres
ident of the Great Northern railroad,
had personal experience Of this very
type of contract. Mr.. Stevens then
submitted the plan to the chairman Of
the commission. Mr.. Shonts, who
went carefully over it with Mr.. Rog-
ers. the legal adviser of the commits
sion. to see that all legal difficulties
We're met. He then submitted copies
Of the plan to both Secretary Taft
and myself. Secretary Taft submit
ted It to some of the best counsel at
the New York bar and afterwards
went over 1t very carefully with Mr..
Taft and Mr.. Shonts and we laid the
plan in its general features before
Nh. Root. My conclusion Is that it
combines the maximum of advantage
with the minimum of disadvantage.
Under it a premium will be put upon
the speedy and economical COnstruc.
ton Of the canal and a penalty i'm
posed on delay and waste. The plan
as promulgated is tentative; doubt
less it will have to be changed in some
respects before we can come to a sat.
isfactory agreement with responsible
contractors-pcrhaps even after the
bids have been received; and OF
course it Is possible that we can not
come to an agreement, in which case
the government will do the work it.
self. Meanwhile the work on the
isthmus is progressing steadily and
without II let W.
A Single Commissioner Desired.
ScNcA Ieducu COllAIllISSIoA IL VI
course a clumsy executive instrument.
We should have but one commissioners,
with such heads of departments and
other officers under him as we may
find necessary. We should be express.
ly permitted to employ the best engi'
neers in the country as consulting
engineers.
accompany this paper with a map
showing substantially what the canal
will be like when it Is finished. When
the Culebra cut has been made and
the dams built III they are built as at
present proposed) there will then be
at both the Pacific and Atlantic ends
of the canal two great fresh water
lakes, connected by a broad channel
running at the bottom of a ravine
across the backbone Of the Western
Hemisphere. Those best informed be
lieve that the work will be completed
In about eight years; but 1t IS neve,
safe to prophcsy about such a wort
as this. especially in the tropics.
Confident Of Ultimate Success.
OF the success of the enterprise
am as we'll convinced as one can b.
Of any enterprise hat is human. 1
Is a s%tupendous work upon which Oul
fellow countrymen are engaged dowl
there on the isthmus and while VT
should hold them to a strict %accounta
billty for the way In which they per
form 1t We should yet recognize. will
frank generosity. the epic nature o
the task on which they are engaged
and It's world wide Importance. The,
are doing something which will re
dound UNNECESSARILY to the credit o
America, which will benefit all tn
world and which will last for ages t
ONE Under Mr.. ShOnts and MI
Stevens and DR.. Gorgas this work ha
started with every omen OF good fol
tune. They and their worthw assC
ciates, from the highest to the loves,
are entitled to the same credit tina
We would give to the picked men OF
victorious army. for this conquest O