Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-04-30

three deaths from what the doctor
diagnosed as malaria" but that he
and one or two other patients knew
the victims died of yellow fever
My informant stated that the wrong
diagnoses were deliberately made, for
fear of adverse public critiscism. But
| am inclined to the belief that this
story and most of the other arraign-
ments of the hospitals are the halluci-
nations of disease and without founda-
ton in truth In fact, the negro Ia
borers are so pleased with the hospit-
ais that they refer to them affection
ately as rest houses
Captain Stanton. chief of the zone
police. has just moved his headquarters
TO Ancon, and | understand that it is
the ultimate purpose of the canal com
mission to permanently establish its
administrative offices there But, speak
ing of Captain Stanton, we are remind
ed that on our walk across the 18TH
mus we encountered at every station
tand sometimes between the stations)
bright. Intelligent men. young in years,
of fine physique, and courteous tenn
permanent. We remember, too, that they
were all attired in khaki riding trous-
ers, leather chaps or leggins, khaki
blouse, and army hat, and that upon
their left breasts they wore badges in
scribed Zone Police
And, be it known, this force of
'browncoated guardians of the peace"
is about as cosmopolitan and interest
ing an organization as there is in the
world. The chief of police is a veteran
of the Spanish-American war-a man
about forty years of age, with a big
frame and a big heart, an accessible
ear and an easily induced smile. He
likes his men, and they like him, and
must say that Captain Stanton is
about the only official of the canal adj
ministration against whom | have not
heard severe criticism.
AS to the men-they are from every
where. The officers are white, and the
privates. with a few exceptions, are
black. Some have served in the Span
ish-American war (both in Cuba and
the Philippines): some served with the
British army in South Africa and they
while away their idle hours with tales
of the campaign against the Beers;
others fought with the English stand
ard in India, in Thibet. and elsewhere.
while the majority have been members
of the Jamaican constabulary or sold
iers in the British West Indian regi-
ment.
Most of the black policemen speak
three languages. a few of the white
men are just as talented in this re-
gard, but the majority of them con-
verse only in English and Spanish. 1t
is not a bit extraordinary to see a ia
maican policeman go up to a crowd of
French speaking Martinique negroes.
chat with them in French, ascertain
the trouble, and arrest the law breaker.
He will then carry his prisoner before
Spanish speaking magistrate after
having made his report to his sergeant
in English. Receiving his instructions
in English. he will relate the circum-
stances to the Spanish magistrate,
translating the entire proceedings into
French for the benefit of the prisoner.
How many of our Washington or New
York policemen could do this?
There are no plain clothes men on
the canal force. Capt. Stanton says
he does not need them. He says that
the race prejudices are so strong that
if Jamaican breaks the law Span
lard will betray him to the police; that
the French negro will tell on the ia
maican or the Spaniard; that the ia
maican will tell on the Spaniard or the
Frenchman, and that all of them will
peach on the Panamanians. With
this condition of affairs very little de-
tective work is necessary. and the Of
fender is pretty sure of being appre-
hended.