Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-12-17

able to find single reputable person
who had SO much as heard of any (
serious accusations affecting the hon
esty Of the commission or Of any re .
sponsible officer under it, j append 4
letter dealing with the most serious +
charge, that OF the ownership Of lots !
in Colon; the charge was not ad- i
vanced by a reputable man and is =
utterly baseless. It Is not too much to
say that the whole atmosphere of the
commission hreathes honesty as 1t
breathes efficiency and energy. Above
all the work has been kept absolutely
clear of politics. Il have never heard
even suggestion Of spoilss politics in.
connection with it. fl ssss's5s1# IS. .S 81
Il have Investigated every complaint
brought to me for which there seemed I
to be any shadow of foundation. In I
two or three cases came to the conclu-
sion that there was foundation for the
complaint and that the methods of the
commission in the respect complained
of could be 7betteredR In the other
instances the complaints proved abb
solutely baseless, save in two or three
instances, where they referred to mis-
takes which the commission had al
ready, itself found out and corrected.
=" SIanderers and Libeiers. /
p So much for honest criticism. There
remains an immense amount of reck.
less SANDER as has ever been pub
llshed. Where the slanderers are OF
foreign originI have no concern with
them. Where they are Americans
feel for them the heartiest contempt
and indignation; because. in a spirit
of wanton dishonesty and malice they
are trying to interfere with and ham
per the execution of the greatest work
of the kind ever attempted and are
seeking to bring to naught the efforts J.
of their countrymen to put to the
credit of America one Of the giant
feats of the ages. The outrageous
accusations Of these slanderers con-
stitute gross libel upon a body of
public servants who, for trained in
telligence, expert ability, high charac-
ter and devotion to duty have never
been excelled anywhere. There is not
q 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 per-
sonal or pecuniary advantage.
H. Plan to Build BY Contract.
After most careful consideration we
have decided to let out most Of the
work by contract if we can come to
satisfactory terms with the contrac-
tors. The whole work is, Of a kind
suited to the peculiar genius of our
people, and our people have ssdevel.
oped the type of contractor best fitted
to grapple with it. 1t lis Of course
much better to do the work In large
part by contract than to do it all by
the government, provided it is possible
! on the one hand to secure to the con-
tractor a sufficient remuneration to
make it worth while for responsible
contractors of the best kind to under
take the work; and provided on the
other hand it can be done on terms
| to the contractor at the expense Of
, the government. After much consid'
| GRAFTON the plan already promulgated
| by the secretary of war was adopted.
| This plan in its essential features was
/ drafted, after careful and thorough
study and consideration, by the chief
engineer, Mr.. Stevens, who, while in
1 the employment Of Mr.. Hill, the pres
ident of the Great Northern railroad,
had personal experience Of this very
type of contract. j. Mr.. Stevens then
submitted the plan to the. chairman of
the commission, Mr. Shonts, who
went carefully over it with Mr.. Rog-
ers, the legal adviser of the commits
sion, to see that all legal difficulties
were met. He then submitted copies
OF the plan to both Secretary Taft
and myself. Secretary Taft submit
ted 1t to some of the best counsel at
the New York bar and afterwards l
went over it very carefully with Mr..
Taft and Mr.. shonts and we laid the
plan IN its general features before
MT. Root. My. conclusion is that it
combines the maximum Of advantage
4 with the minimum of disadvantage.
4 Under 1t a premium will be put upon
Il the speedy and economical construc.
ton OF the canal and q penalty inn
/ posed on delay and waste. The plan
as promulgated is tentative; doubt
4 less 1t will have to be changed ia some
Il respects before we can come to a sat
isfactory agreement with responsible
a contractors--per perhaps even after the
q bids have been received |; and Of
course it is possible that we can not
/. come to an agreement, Id which case
II the government will do the work it.
q self Meanwhile the work on the
. isthn l Is progressing steadily and
u without any let up. 81.
A Single Commissioner Desired.
a seven headed commission Is Of
course a clumsy executive instrument
We should have but one commits sioner,
II with such heads of departments and
!. other officers under him dis we may
/ md necessary, We should be express.
. Y permitted 70 employ the best engi'
Z neers IN the country as consulting