The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-18
TELLS CONGRESS
ABOUT THE CANAL
CONTINUED From Page g.

hOUUI InL Uhuhl
Continued From Page 6.)
isthmus should arouse every species
of hostility and criticism. The condi.
lions are so new and so trying and
the work SO vast that it would be alb
solutely out of the question that mis-
takes should not be made. Checks
will occur. Unforeseen difficulties will
arise. From time to time seemingly
we'll settled plans will have to be
changed. At present $4,000 men are
engaged on the task. After q while
the number will be doubled. In such
q multitude 1t is inevitable that there
should be here and there scoundrel.
Very many of the poorer class of la
borers lack the mental development to
protect themselves against either the
rascality of others or their own folly
and 1t is not possible for human wis
dom to devise a plan by which they
can invariably be protected. In a
place which has been for ages a by
word for unhealthfulness and with so
large congregation of strangers sud-
denly put down and set to hard work
there will now and then be outbreaks
Of disease. There will now and then
be shortcomings in administration:
there will be unlocked for accidents
to delay the excavation Of the cut or
the building of the dams and locks.
Each such incident will be entirely
natural and, even though serious, no
one of them will mean more than a
little extra delay or trouble. Yet
each, when discovered by sensation
mongers and retailed to timid folk of
little faith, will serve as an excuse for
the belief that the whole work Is be-
ing badly managed. Experiments will
continually be tried In housing, by.
giene, in street repairing, in dredging
and in digging earth and rock. Now
and then an experiment will be fail
ure: and among those who hear of it
. certain proportion of doubling
Thomases will at once believe that
the whole work is a failure. Doubt.
less here and there some minor ras.
cality will be uncovered; but as to
this have to say that after the most
painstaking inquiry have been un.
able to find a 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. append a
letter dealing with the most serious
charge, that Of the ownership of lots
In Colon; the charge was not ad.
vanced by reputable man and is
utterly baseless. 1t is not too much to
say that the whole atmosphere of the
commission breathes honesty as it
breathes efficiency and energy. Above
all the work has been kept absolutely
clear of politics. have never heard
even suggestion of spoils politics in
connection with 1t.
have investigated every complaint
brought to me for which there seemed
to be any shadow of foundation. In
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- bettered. In the other
instances the complaints proved alb.
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.
Slanderers and LibeIers.
So much for honest criticism. There
remains an immense amount of reck-
less SANDER as has ever been pub
lished. Where the slanderers are of
foreign origin have no concern with
them. Where they are Americans
feel for them the heartiest contempt
and Indignation; because, in spirit
of vanton 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
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 q 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.
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 kind
suited to the peculiar genius of our
people; and our people have devel-
oped the type of contractor best fitted
to grapple with it. 1t is 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 sufficient remuneration to
make 1t worth while for responsible
contractors of the best kind to under
take the work; and provided on the
other hand 1t can be done on terms
which will not give an excessive profit
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
the employment Of MIR. Hill, the pres
1dent Of the Great Northern railroad,
had personal experience Of this very
type of contract. Mr.. Stevens then