The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-18

two complained that the prices were ex-
ceesive as compared 60 the prices In the
States. On investigation I did not feel that
this complaint was well founded. The
men sometimes ate at private boarding
houses or private messes, but more often,
Judging by the OF those whom
l questioned, at the Government canteens
or hotels where the meal costs 30 cents to
employee. This 30 cent meal struck
me as being as good a meal as we get in the
United States at the ordinary hotel in which
a so cent meal Is provided. Three-foUrths
of tire men whom l questioned stated that
the meals furnished at these Government
hotels were good, the remaining one-fourth
that they were not good. myself took
dinner at the La Boc Government hotel.
no warning whatever having been gwen
OF my coming. There were two rooms,
as generally in these hotels. In one
the employees were flowed 10 dine
without their coats, willis in the other
they had to put them on. The 30 cent
meal included soup, native beef (Which
was good, mashed potatoes, peas, beets,
chill con carne, plum pudding, tea, coffee
each man having as much OF each dish as
he desired. On the table there was a
bottle of liquid quinine tonic, which two
thirds Of the guests. as | was informed,
used every day. I vas informed by some
OF those present that this hotel. and also
the other similar hotels, were every
Saturday night turned into c~lubhouses
where the American officials, the school
teachers and various employees ap-
peared, bringing their wives, there
being dancing and singing. There was a
piano in the ROOM, which ! was informed
was used for the music on these occasions.
CHINESE AND OTHER LABOR.
OF the nineteen or twenty Thousand day
laborers employed on the canal, a few
hundred are Spaniards. Some Italian
laborers are also employed in oonnec-
ton with the drilling. As might b ex-
present in the United States, it has not SO
Far proved practicable to get any ordinary
laborers from the United States. A steady
effort is being made to secure Italians.
and especially to procure more S~paniards,
because OF the very satisfactory results
that hav come from their employment:
and their numbers will be increased as far
as possible. It has not proved possible.
however, to get them in anything like the
numbers needed for the work. and from
present appearances we shall in the main
have TO rely, for the ordinary unskilled
work, partly upon colored laborers from
the West Indies, partly upon Chinese labor.
II certainly ought to be unnecessary 70 point
out that the American w~orkingrnan in the
United States has no concern whatever
in the question AZ TO whether the rough
work on the Isthmus, which is performed
OJ hC4o - 49, SNSAANg 80 ACAo " SAANAAo
from one country with a black skin or by
aliens from another country with a yellow
skin. Our business Is to dig the canal
as efficiently and as quickly as possible;
provided always that nothing is done that
IL inhumane TO n laborers and nothing
that interferes with the wages OF or lowers
the standard Of living Of our own work
men. Having in view this principle, l
have al ranged to try several thousand
Chinese laborers. This is desirable both
because we must try to find out what
laborers are most efficient, and, further
more, because we should not cave our
selves at the mercy Of any one type Of
foreign labor. At present the great bulk
of the unskilled labor on the Isthmus is
done by West India negroes, chiefly from
Jamaica, Barbados and the other English
possessions. One of the governors of the
lands in question has shown an u~nfriendly
disposition 70 our work, and has thrown
obstacles in the way OF our getting the
labor needed; and 10 is highly undesirable
to give any outsiders the impression, now
ever i'll founded, that they are indispen-
sable and can dictate terms to us.
RFCREATIoN M AMUSEMENT.
One of the greatest needs at present il
to provide amusenents, both for the white
men m the black. The Young Mems
Christian Association is trying to do good
work, and should be in ever way encour-
aged. But the Government should 10 the
fudln WOEh. I nave sICNllChilN Ndliru luc
attention OF the commission to this matter,
and something has been accomplished al
ready. Anything done for the welfare of
the men adds TO their efficiency, and money
devoted to that purpose is therefore prop
erly to be considered as spent in building
the canal. II is jmperatively necessary to
provide ample recreation and amusement
II the men are to be kept we'll and healthy.
] call the special attention of Congress to
this need.
This gathering, distributing and caring
for the great force of laborers is n Of the
giant features Of the work. That friction will
from time to time occur in connection there
with is inevitable. The astonishing him is
that the work has been performed so well
and that the machinery runs so smoothly.
From my own experience l am able to say
that more care has been exercised in hous-
ing. feeding and generally paying heed
to the needs of the skilled mechanics and
ordinary laborers in the work on this canal
than Is the case IN the construction Of
new railroads or In any other similar private
or public work in the United States proper;
and il Is the testimony OF all people COM
petent to speak hat on no other similar
work anywhere In the tropics-indeed, as
far as l know, anywhere else-has there
been such forethought and such success
achieved in providing for the needs of the
n4en who do the work.
have now dealt With the hygienic condi-
tons which make it possible TO employ
a great force of laborers, and with the task
Of gathering, housing and feeding these
laborers. There remains to consider the
actual work which has to be done: the
work because of which these laborers are
gathered t~oHether-the work OF construct
ing the canal. This is under the direct con-
troll of the chief engineer. Mr.. Stevens,
who has already shown admirable results,
and whom we can safely trust to achieve
similar results in the future.
Our people found on the Isthmus a certain
amount Of old French material and equip
ment which could be used. Some of Il, in
addition, could be old as scrap iron. Some
could be used for furnishing the foundation
for filing In. For much no possible use
could be devised that would not cost more
than it would bring in.
WORK OF CONSTRUCTION
The work is nov going on with a vigor
and efficiency pleasant to witness. The
three big problems OF the canal are the La
Boca dams, the Gatun dam and the Culebra
cut. The Culebra cut must be made, any
how; but OF course changes as to the dams,
or at least as to the locks adjacent TO the
dams, may still OCCUR. The La Boca dams
offer no particular problem, the bottom
material being so good that there is a prao-
teal certainty not merely az to what can
be achieved, but as to the time of achieve
ment. The Gatun dam Offers the most
ser ious problem which we have to solve;
and yet the ablest men on the Isthmus
believe that this problem is certain Of solu-
ton along the lines proposed; although, OF
course, il uecessitates great toll, energy
and intalli0apCa and althOuOh au1taIly ~