The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-12-21
CANAL IS A BIG SUCCESS
In a Special Message to
Congress President Ex-
presses Views
TO TRY CHINESE LABOR
Wisdom of Canal Management
Shown in the Preliminary Work of
Sanitation-Health of the 18TH
mus Remarkably Good - Canal
Construction Going on With VigOr.

CONSTRUCTION OOlnS Oh WIFI v iSOFs
Washington, D. c., Dec. 20
President Roosevelt's special mes
sage to Congress dealing with his OBJ
servations on his recent visit to the
Panama Canal was read to the SEN
ate and the House of Representa-
tiyes.
President Roosevelt lauds the
Canal Commission and has only
praise for the progress made. He bit
terly scores those whom he terms
"slanderers and libellers," persons
who, he says, have unjustly and ma
liciously criticized those who are di-
recting the great work.
He strongly advises having one ca
nal commissioner Instead of seven,
saying a seven-headed commission is
"a clumsy executive instrument"
The President expresses himself as
confident of the ultimate success of
the project and thinks Panama Ca
nal will be completed in eight years.
His observation are based on what
he saw and was told during his re-
cent visit to the Canal Zone.
The first great problem to be
solved, upon the solution of which
the success of the rest of the work
depended, was the problem of sani-
tation. This was from the outset un-
der the direction of Dr. W. c. Cor
gas. The results have been astound-
Ing. The isthmus has been a by
word for deadly unhealthfulness.
Now after two years of our occupa-
ton, the conditions as regard sick
ness and the death rate compare fav-
orably with reasonably healthy 10
calities in the United States.
The bulk of the message deals
with the sanitation of the canal zone,
the problems confronting the medi-
cal authorities and the labor ques-
tion.
Concerning the latter, the Presi-
dent says that the Spanish and Ital-
ian workmen superior to the blacks,
but hard to get, and that for the pre-
liminary unskilled work colored la
borers from the West Indies and
Cinnamon must be relied upon. On
the Chinese labor question he says:
It certainly ought to be unnecces-
sary to point out that the American
workingman in the United States has
no concern whatever in the question
70 xxr1A
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 yellow skin. Our business is
to dig the canal as quickly and as
efficiently as possible, provided al
ways that nothing is done that is in
humane to any laborers and nothing
that interferes with the wages of or
lowers the standard of living of our
own workmen.
Having in view this principle,
have arranged to try several thou
sand Chinese laborers. This is de-
sirable, both because we must try to
cient, and Furthermore, because we
should not leave ourselves at the
mercy of any one type of foreign
labor.
November was chosen for his visit
to Panama, the President says, be-
cause it is the rainiest month OF the
year and the most unhealthy. He
desired to see the work under the
most unfavorable conditions and he
had his wish All the time he was
there it rained
Just at present, he says, the health
showing on the Isthmus is remarka-
ply good-so much better than in
most sections of the United States
that do not believe that it can pos
sibly continue at quite its present
average.
In conclusion the President SAYS
he plans to build the canal by con-
tract, but if it is not found practica-
bic the government will do the work
Itself.
Navy Peril and Land Grabs.
President Roosevelt asserts that
coal and timber land grabs in the far
west must cease, and urges upon
Congress the necessity of new laws
to bring this about. He advocates the
leasing of government lands to pri-
vate individuals and corporations
Tor operation, but under government
control Mr.. Roosevelt thinks it i'm
perative that the law be changed so
that younger officers may attain to
the highest rank in the navy, the
present statutes being such that none
but aged officers are in positions of
the greatest responsibility