The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-18
SENDS THREE MESSAGES T(

letter dealing with the most serious
charge, that of the ownership of lots in
Colon; the charge was not advanced by
a reputable man, and is utterly baseless.
II Is not too much to say that the whole
atmosphere of the commission breathes
honesty as it breathes efficiency and en-
eiey. Above all, the work has been kept
absolutely clear of politics. I have never
heard even a suggestion of spoils politics
in connection with it.
l have investigated every complaint
brought to me for which there seemed to
be any shadow of foundation. In two or
three cases, all of which have indicated
IN the course Of this message, l came to
the conclusion that there was foundation
ior the complaint, and that the methods
| of the commission in the respect conf
planned of could be bettered. In the
other instances the complaints proved aD-
solutcly baseless, save in two or three IN
stances where they referred to mistakes
which the commission had already Itself
found out and corrected
Slanderers and Libelera.
So much for honest criticism. There
remains an immense ambunt of as reckless
Islander US has ever been published. Where
the slanderers are of foreign origin have
no concern with them. Where they are
Americans | feel for them the heartest
contempt and Indignation; because, In d
spirit of wanton dishonesty and malice,
they are trying to interfere with, and
hamper the execution of, the greatest
work of the kind ever attempted, and
| are seeking to bring to naught the eff
forts of their countrymen to put to the
credit of America one of the giant feats
| of the ages. The outrageous accusations
! of these slanderers constitute a gross
| libel upon body of public servants who
| for trained intelligence. expert ability,
! high character and devotion to duty, have
never been eXcelled anywhere. There is
not a man among those directing the
i, work on the isthmus who has obtained
| his position on any other basis than merit
/ alone, and not one who has used his posi-
| ton in any way for his own personal or
pecunlary advantage.
Plan to Build by Contract.
After most careful consideration we
| have decided to let out most of the work
| tory terms with the contractors. The
| whole work is of kind suited to the
peculiar genius OF our people; and our
| people have developed the type of con-
tractor best fitted to grapple with it. IL
! 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
poSSlDle OH the one ndflu 10 secure TO
the contractor a 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 it can be done on terms which will
not give an excessive profit to the con-
tractor at the expense of the government.
After much consideration the plan ar
ready promulgated by the Secretary of
War was adopted. This plan in its es-
1 A.1Nt al Co,
full and thoro study and consideration, by
the chief engineer Mr.. Stevens, who,
while in the employment of Mr.. Hill, TIE
president of the Great Northern railroad,
had personal experience of this very
type of contract. Mr. Stevens then SUD-
mitted the plan to the chairman of the
commission, Mr. Shonts, who went care
fully over it with Mr.. Rogers, the legal
adviser of the commission, to see that all
legal difficulties were met. He then sub
mitted copies of the plan to both Seere-
tary Taft and myself. Secretary Taft
submitted it to some of the best coun-
sci at the New York bar, and afterwards
/ went over it very carefully with Mr..
Taft and Mr.. Shonts, and we laid tine
plan in its general features before Mr.
Root. My conclusion is that it combines
the maximum of advantage with the min
imum of disadvantage Under it a prem
ium will be put upon the speedy and
economical construction of the canal, and
a penalty imposed on delay and waste.
| The plan as promulgated is tentative;
doubtless it will have to be changed in
some respects before we can come to a
satisfactory agreement with responsible
neutrality-suspicious. even after the bids
have been received; and of course it is
possible that we can not come to am
agreement, in which case the govern
ment will do the work itself. Meanwhile
the work on the isthmus is progressing
steadily and without any let-up.
A Single Commissioner Desired.
A headed commission is of course
clumsy executive instrument. We should
have but one commissioner with such
heads of departments and other officers
under him as we may find necessary. We
should be expressly permitted to enl-
poy the best engineers in the country
as consulting engineers.
/ accompany this paper with a map
showing substantially what the canal will
be like when it is finished. When the
Culebra cut has been made and the dams
built Gf they are built as at present
proposedD, there will then be at both
the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the ca
nal two great fresh-water lakes, con-
nected by a broad channel running at
the bottom of a ravine, across the back
DOne Oh the NeSlelH hemisphere Hosc
best informed believe that the work will
be completed in about eight years; but
II is never safe to prophesy about such
a work as this, especially in the tropics.
/ am informed that representatives of
the commercial clubs of four cities-Bos-
ton, Chicago. Cincinnati and st. Louis
the membership of which includes most
of the leading business men of those
cities, expect to visit the isthmus for the
purpose of examining the work of con-
struction of the canal. I am glad to hear
it. and l shall direct that every ia
cility be given them to see all that is to
be seen in the work which the govern
ment is doing. Such interest as a visit
like this would indicate will have
good effect upon the men who are doing
the work. on one hand. while on the
other hand it will offer as witnesses of
the exact conditions men whose experience
as business men and whose impartialty
will make the result of their observa-
tons of value to the countryVas a whole.
Confident of Ultimate Success.
OF the success of the enterprise l am
as well convinced as one can pe of any
enterprise that is human. 1t is stu
countrymen are engaged down there on
the isthmus, and while we should hold
them to a strict accountability for the
yet recognize with frank generosity, the
are engaged and its worldwide import
will rebound immeasurably to the credit
rs xtrIai .,l, will oil 1aa