The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-21

We should have but one commissioner.
with such heads of departments and
other Officers under him - we may
find necessary. We houid he express
Is permitted Ia employ the best engf.
neers in the country as consulting en-
Etneers
accompany ;hiS paper with a map
showing substantially what the canaf
will be like when it Is finished. When
the Culenra cut has been made and tho
dams built Of they are built a. at
pre>ut prapoSedi theT" will then be at
both the Pacific and Atlantic ends or
the canal two great frcsh-watsT lakes.
connected by a broad channel nnin
NJ tho bottom ~ = ravine. across tho
backbone of the western hemisphere.
Those best informed believe that tho
work viii he completed in about light
year,. bu; II * never safe - prophssy
about such 4 work as tlis. especially
in the tropics
am Informed ;hat representatives
OF the commercial clubs Of - N cities
Boston. Chicago. Cincinnati. and St
Iouis-th, membership ~ which In
CLUBS most OF the leading business
men OF those cities expect 20 visit the
isthmu< for the urpOs OF examining
the work OF construction OF the canal
| am glad To hear Ii. n shall direct
that every facility BE- given them TO SOC
all that is 10 be seen in the work which
the government ia doing. such inter
est as a visit like this would Indicate
will lave a good effect upon the mem
who a.e doing the work. on one hand.
Will. on IN. other hand il vii offer
as witnesses Of the exact conditions
men whose experience as business men
and Whose impartiality will make Tho
result 81 their observations OF valu" TO
the Country as a whole
CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS.
Of the success OF the .utcrpris. / an
aS well convinced as one can be uf my
enterprise that il human. II IL - stu-
pendruS work upon which our fellow
cuUn'rNm.n are engaged down there
on he 5Sthmus. and while We should
hold them to = strict accountability for
th" way IN Which they perform IL. we
mould YET recognize. with frank gen.
crosby. TIN epic nature OF the task on
which they are engaged and IT'S world
wide Importance. They are doing
something which viii rebound Immeas-
urahly Ia the credit Of America. which
win benefit al the world. and which
viii last for ages To- come, Under Mr..
Sh"uts and Nr. toveus and Doctor
Gorcas this york has started with
every omen OF good fortune. They
and their worthy associates, from the
highest t. the lowest, are entitled to
the same credit that We would give TO
thu picked men OF ii victorious army:
for this onQu"s OF peaC" viii. In ita
great and far-reaching effect. tand AS
among thc very greatest conqu'Sts.
whether Of peace or OF war. which
have Cyl been won by any OF The reo-
piles OF mankind. y badge is to be-
given to every American citizen who
for a specified time has taken part In
this WORK. for participation In ii VIII
hereafter h.. held to reflect honor upon
the man participating aS il reflects
honor upon n soldier TO hav" belonged
to a mighty army in "A great war Tor
r~ichteou:leSS. Our fellow-Country-
men IN thu isthmus are working for
our interests and for the national re-
nown in the same spirit and with tho
. same efficiency that the men OF the
i ARM and navy work in time OF war
: II behooVes us in our turu to 10 all
we can 10 hold up their hands and To
aid them in every way to bring their
great work to n triumphant conclusion.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House,
December II, 1906.