New-York tribune., 1906-08-12
SHONTS MAKES DENIAL.
.1RRITES FROM PANAMA.
Says Importation of Canal Laborers
Is Not ILLEGAL.

Theodore P. shonts. the chairman Of the Panama
Canal Commission, who went 20 Panama on June
q with Chief Engineer John F. Stevens, returned
yesterday on the Panama Line steamship Panama
With him returned Commissioner Bishop. who went
down at the same time. The chairman OF the COM
mission sailed just after Congress had decided on
lock type Of canal. and after the s26OOO0O appro-
priation went through
Mr. shontz last night gave out the following
statement:
bof h 3 the e0q bmus docs PS Pansa sRgy % The en
present unskilled labor force is alien. We cannot
States II is therefore not seen why law passed
in the interest Of American labor al home should
be made applicable 10 alien labor who probably
have Increased the labor cost OF the canal several
million dollars The American iaborer IN this
country would have TO pay his share of the con
ing benefit to himself
n a the time t Of my inseeT @ y with da ar r6 G9Rfbns Rb
have already said. stated that my understanding
law in this country was primarily to give TO the
highest types OF labor in the world longer hours
for mental recreation and improvement, but that
with the lowest class Of labor, as at Panama II
interests and more an act Of kindness than other
wise, 10 permit them 20 work ten hours day and
pay them for it-because they are paid by the
As TO the statement Of Mr. Gompers that "the
existing law excludes Chinese laborers and coolies
from the United States or any Of its possessions.
sion and il is much violation Of the law to
bring Chinese coolies there as it is In other Por-
the commission had secured the opinion OF
the highest legal authorities OF the govern
nent- It has been held that such law does
4f aPp o o & he 51sd ana s9ne the The La law
was passed In March: 1903. and specifically set
territory at that time subject 10 the authority of
the United States & The canal zone was acquired
tended It's provision so as TO embrace the canal
sshe canal must be dug. and the first requisite Is
70 have labor TO dig it, We do not believe it wise
Negroes. We looking the securing OF
white labor from the north of SPAIN some of which
dence of being well adapted TO the work II is the
competent person or firm for furnishing upward Of
n oTn o a5 no a9 & m IT.
framed 10 carefully protect the rights Of the
law We cannot secure the unsked labor in suf
fcient numbers from the United States 1t is there
agreement entered into will provide for their re-
turn direct to China upon the completion of SER
In conversation with Mr. Gompers the well known
ennlovnent ~ chinese and otberTise We're prsc
standing must have been due TO a misrepresentation
Of his position
Mr. ShoBts said at the pier that he 10 the
isthmus TO straighten up affairs which had
got behind and TO that everything got under
way toward the building of a lock canal 1t was
nothing important he said; just routine work which
kept him busy night and day Mr.. shonts said:
The situation at present in the Isthmus can be
there Just at this moment Is more labor and less
rain II has been almost continual rain. and this
has hampered the work good deal. During July
there rain for twenty-nine days and the reg
istered rainfall 1910 inches. You see that
the rain has become problem.
man has already been sent to Spain to secure
Spanish labor. We want 10 get from Spain about
five hundred men a month 10 make up the loss in
the working force and TO bring the force up We
want the sturdy laborers from the North OF Spain.
and We expect to get them.
Within very few weeks advertisements will be
published calling for twenty-five hundred Chinese
laborers. The commission is in favor this class
Of labor. and the present lot will be in nature
OF an experiment. But IL is possible that a large
force OF Chinese will be work on the isthmus
The work of preparing the contracts VIII be slow
for We must comply with the laws In the
tracts there must be no appearance Of involuntary
servitude the local laws must all be complied with
and the treaty regulations be regarded
Chief Engineer Stevens and myself have handled
Chinese labor. and found them be all right
They do the work, and that is the principal object
We aim TO get the strong husky iaborers from the
rice fields OF Southern China. The importation of
Chinese labor does not come under the Contract
Labor law.
We want the work done, and We find that the
West Indian Negroes are not what we wanted. We
get only a 80 per cent efficiency of the
Negro WOrkmen.
Mr.. Shonts said that he would this city for
the next few days. He may the President at
Oyster Bay.