The Forrest City times., 1906-12-21

be failure: and among those who hsas of it.'a certain proportion of doubtin9 Thomases will at once believe that th0 and there some minor rascadty will bO uncovered: but as to this, I have to say that after the most painstaking inquiry able person who had so much as heard Of any serious accusations affecting the if anSs. % gr ssSeos % sns letter dealing with the most serious charge. that of the ownership of lots h Colon; the charge vas not advanced bS less. It is not too much to say that the whole atmosphere of the commissioa been kept absolutely clear of politics. [ have never heard even a suggestion q spotls politics in connection with 1t
 brought to me for which there seemed to be any shadow of foundation. In two or three cases. all of which [ message. I came to the conclusion thae there was foundation for the com pIaint, and that the methods of the of could be bettered. in the other in- stances the complaints proved abs0- iutely baseiess save in two or three takes which the commission had q. ready found out and corrected
 sIanders and lIbeiers.
 So much for honest criticism. Thsso reckless islander as has ever been pub- lilshed. Where tho slanderers arc oe foreign origin have no conc..rn with feel for them the heartiest contemp0 and Indignation. because, in . spirit of wanton dishonesty and maiica hamper the eaeousion of the Tr srsatess work of the kind ever attempted, and are seeking to bring to nausht the ef- the credit of America one of the gianS aceu.ations of these siandsrers con: public servants who, for trained infsl- tetr and devotion 10 duty. have nsvss a man among those directing the wors on the isthmus who has obtained hiq position on any other basis than meri6 position in any way for his own pss- sonal or pecuniAry advantage
 Plan to Build by Contract.
 After most careful consideration VI work by contract. if @ ws cam g1' com. % ss ors. The whole work is of . kinA psss. and ou peopl. sfalvs navs os oped the type of contractor best ntteA to frspple with it. It is of courss part by contract than to do it aii 6y the government. provided 1t is pos fontrsstsF msts |. worH M. ion re.pas sible contractors of the best kind ts undertake the work: and provided oo which will not give an excessive profit to the contractor at the expense o1 the government-, After much con- gated by the secretary of war was adopted. This plan in its essential s tSs sSs4 staaz snsznss :ef
 Hill. the president of the Great North. l Stevens then submitted the plan e | the chairman of the commission, Mr. wh Mr wRS Rossrs hs ssay adsssr
 the commission to see that ali legal l diniculties were met. He then submit tary Taft and myself Secretary Tafa | submitted 1t to some of the best coun- sei at the New York bar. and aftey- wsh MT Tat ea' and 1Ssf MT snon. and ms laid the. plan in its general features before Mir. Root My conclusion is that xtas. # c9Ihnts h ,s. the pq of :e vantage Under 1t premium will bq put upon the speedy and economical construction, of the canal. and pen.
 
 p pian as promulgated Is tentatiyei Tn some respects before we can corh1 to a satisfactory agreement with re- sponsible tractors-perhaps ever after the bids have been received; 1 and of course 1t is possible that we | itself Meanwhile the work on the isthmus is progressing steadily and without any let up. Single Commissioner Desired.
 seven headed commission is ol | course clumsy executive instrument We should have but one comsnlssiens i CT. I.t. su1a a.ass of depattnehU and othssr officers under hip as VI expressly permitted to employ the best engineers in the country as con. sulting engineers. & will be like when 1t Is finished. When the Culebra cut has been made and the dams built Qf they are built as a5 at both the Pacific and Atlantic endS Of ,dx the canal two great fresh-watc! across the backbone of the westerI Hemisphere. Those best informed be. 1 leye that the work will be compietel in about eight years: but it Is nevef safe to prophecy about such wori1 as this. especially in the tropics.
 Confident of Ultimate Success. or the success of the enterprise [ am as we'll convinced as one can bs or any enterprise that Is human. it IS a stupendous work upon which ous fellow countrymen are engaged down there on the isthmus and while wa should hold them to strict accounta. bllfty for the way in which they perl form it, we should recognize with frank generosity. the epic nature of the task upon which they are engaged and its worldwide importance They are doing something which will re- doud immcasurably to the credit of America. which will benefit all the world, and which will last for ages to come. Under MT. Shonts and Mr. Stevens and pr. Gorgas this work has started with every omen Of good for- tune. They and their worthy associates. from the highest to the lowest. are entitled to the same credit that we would give to the picked men of q victorious army. for this conquest of peace will. in it's great and far-reach- ing eneet stand among tho very greatest eonquests. whether of peace or of war. which have ever been won by any of the peoples of mankind A badge is to be given to every Ameri- can citizen who for a speched time has taken part in this work. for par ticipation in if will hereafter be held to reflect honor upon the man par- ticipating just as it reflects honor upon q soldier to have belonged to a mighty 4Fs