The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-18
Presidents Views on Three
Topics Are Submitted to
the Law Makers
HIS TRIP TO PANAMA
INSPECTION OF THE ISTHMlAN
CANAL AND PLANS FOR ITS
COMPLETION - WOULD ACCEL.
ERATE NAVY PROMOTIONS.
Publishers Press.I


Washington, Dcc. lin his special
message to congress on Panama canal,
the president narrates in detail incl
dents of the three days he spent on
the isthmus. He spent an etire day in
Culebra cut, visited different villages,
inspected receiving hospitals, houses in
which unmarried white workmen live,
those In which unmarried colored work
men live; also quarters of white married
employees and of married colored en-
p1oyes; the commissary stores. bath
houses. water closets, cook sheds for col
ored laborers. and government canteens,
or hotels at which most of the white
employees take their meals, went through
machine shops. talked with scores of diff
ferent men-superintendents and heads
of depa rtments divisions and bureaus;
steam shovel men. machinists. conduc-
tors. engineers. clerks. wives of the
American employees, health officers, COL
ored attendants and managers of the
rommissary stores where food is sold TO
colored laborers: and wives of coored
employees and coiored employees not mar
RED. He says he found all in good con-
dition, with few exceptions. AT La Boca,
without previous warning, he went into
= government hotel and ate 30-cent
meal, which he says was good as ho-
tells In the states serve for so cents. The
meal included soup. native beef (Which
was goodb mashed potatoes, peas. beets,
chill con carne. plum pudding. tea, coffee.
each man having az much of each dish
he desired Discussing the character
OF laborers employed he says: 1T GER
tainly ought to be unnecessary to point
out that the American workingman in
the United States has no concern in the
question as to whether the rough work
on the isthmus. which Is performed by
aliens in any event. is done by aliens
from one country with black skin or by
aliens from another country with a yell
low skin" and that he has arranged to
try several thousand Chinese laborers. !
He explains some conditions that have
been criticised and says: There re-
mains immense amount OF as reckless
SANDER as has even been published
Where the slanderers are of foreign orr
gin have concern with them. There
they Americans. + feel for them the
heartiest contempt and Indignation; be-
cause. in a spirit OF wanton dishonesty
and malice. they trying to interfere
with and hamper the execution thereof,
the greatest work OF the kind at
tempted, and seeking to bring to
naught the effort OF their countrymen to
put to the credit of America one of the
giant feats of the age. The outrageous
accusations Of these slanderers consti-
tute a gross libel upon body of public
servants who. for trained intelligence, ex-
pert sbility. high character and devotion
to duty. have never been exceled any
where. There is not man among those
directing the work on the isthmus who
has obtained his position on any other
basis than merit alone, and not one who
has used his position in any way for his
own personal or pecuniary advantage"
He states that an effort will be made to
let the construction work to private con-
tractors under the plan formulated by
the secretary of war: that a seven-headed
ranaI commission is cumbersome. and
that he favors having but commits
sioner: that he thinks the canal will be
built in eight years. and that he is con-
hdent OF ultimate success of the enter
prise. a badge is to be given to every
American citizen employed a definite
time in the work.
The president sent to congress a
special message on naval personnel, In
which he says: In my last three an
nual messages / have invited the at
tention of congress to the urgent ne
cesessity of such legislation as will
cause officers of the line of the navy
to reach the grades of captain and
rear admiral at less advanced ages
and will give them more experience
and training in the important duties of
those grades. Under the present arch
aic system of promotion. without par
aiiel in navy of any other first-class
the average age of SO and rear ad-
mirals at the average age of so. This
system is the result of long contin-
ned prejudice in favor of method of
promotion by which all lieutenants in
order of seniority pass through the
several grades until they eventually
become rear admirals. method
which sacrifices the good of the SER
vice to the interest of individual medi-
ocrity. As direct consequence of the
existing method naval officers obtain
more than ample service in subordi-
nate positions. but have a limited and
inadequate experience as captains in
command of battleships and as flag
officers in charge OF fleets and squad
rons. that is, in the very positions !
OF greatest responsibility. where ex-
perience, skill and initiative are es-
sential to efficiency"
A bill for more rapid promotion,
prepared by the secretary of the navy,
was submitted with the message, and
its enactment was urged 1t would
enable sea going officers to reach the
grade of captains at As, and rear ad-
mirals at 90. assuring their serving |
seven years in each grade before |
reaching the age for retirement.
A special message was sent to con-
gress by the president on the subject |
OF public land laws. in which he says
the present lands laws are unsatisfac- |
tory. and responsible for much of the |
fraud perpetrated. He says: 1.-The |
timber and stone act has demonstrate /
ed conclusively that its effect is to /
turn over the public timber lands to |
great corporations. IT has done enor- /
NOUS harm. IL is NO 1nnrer eoado5