Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-15
"FLoRoDoRA" CANA DIGGING

Chicago Inter Ocean.-John F. Wal
lace, formerly chief engineer of the
Panama canal project, had a chance to
tell his troubles Tuesday to the senate
investigators. In Mr.. Wallace's per-
sonal controversies with Mr., Shonts
and Secretary Taft the public feels no
great interest But he made some IL
Illuminating remarks about conditions
at Panama when he was there.
He declared that there never was a
time while he was in charge when all
employees We're not properly housed
and fed. What gave rise to all the
stories of discomfort at that time was
that, whereas the negro laborers were
able to take care of themselves, many
Of the white employees pined for "en-
tertainment"
Some Of the clerks from New York
and Washington" added Mr.. Wallace.
chad Florodora ideas about life in the
tropics. They thought they should sit
in hammocks, sip mint juleps, and
smoke cigarettes. There was no COM
plant from those who came to the
isthmus to work"
Mr.. Wallace also expressed the
opinion that the civil service regufa
tions We're not applicable to the selec-
in the case of purely clerical positions
such as those of tinnekeepers and
stenographers. In the light Of Mr..
Wallace's remarks, just quoted, it
would seem that the boasted "neri;
system"-borrowed from China-would
hardly do in any case
For 1t Is to be noted that these
F'lorodora young men Of whom Mr.
Wallace spoke were all, as Secretary
Taft solemnly ayers in answer to GER
tain suggestions about political pull
the product of the civil service exam
ination and job insurance idea. They
We're its choicest flower and fruit
And their uselessness in such work as
must be done at Panama needs no ar
gument.
In fact, 1t Is surprising that any
American who even tries to be prac-
teal should need any sort Of argu-
ment to convince him that the merit
system idea will never do for Panama
The civil service system now In vogue
does we'll enough to secure small men
for routine tasks. and to keep their
undisturbed at those tasks by other
seekers for easy Jobs. And where
merely routine work Is to be done II
Is better to keep the small man, who
has learned his work, than to bother
with a succession Of small men learn
| ing it.
But to get efficient men for such
tasks as that at Panama ideas must
be appealed to other than those Of the
small man whose best thoughts are o.
| personal comfort. For success al
| Panama, the instincts Of Nphysica
PROCESS seeking vent, of willingness tt
| take large chance for fame and for.
tune, and the spirit of adventure
must be appealed to. And the com.
| petitive civil service examination doe!
not appeal to these instincts and thi.
spirit at all. 1t repels them and whei
they come under its influence destroys
them.
Rudyard Kipling says somewhere
] that two kinds of regiments are es
/ pecially terrible in battle-one O
hard -praying Presbyterians led b.
melancholy elders, the other of unre
generate blackguards led by reckless
young libertines-but that a regimen
composed Of school prize winners Il
absolutely worthless until it has beef
/ soundly whipped
There is food for reflection in tina
/ remark on the part of, the prominen
gentlemen at Washington responsible
for the work at Panama So long a!
| they persist In treating the Panam;
! task as If it were merely one of de
| partrnental routine they will get bu
4 F'lorodora mon to attend to 1t, and W
1 shall have nothing but F1orodora cana
digging.