The Carlisle independent., 1906-12-20


 of 1t, a certain proportion of -doubting Thomases will at once believe that ths whole work is a failure. Doubtless here and there some minor rascallty will be uncovered; but as to this I have to say that after the most painstakng inquiry . l have been unable to find a single reput- able person who had so much as heard of any serious accusations affecting the honesty of the commission or of any 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 base less. It is not too much to say that the whole atmosphere Of the. commission breathes honesty as it breathes efficiency been kept absolutely clear of politics. I have never heard even suggestion Of spells 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 I message, I came to the conclusion that there was foundation for the com plaint. and that the methods of the commission in the respect complained of could be bettered. In the other fn- stances the complaints proved abso- lutely baseless. save in two or three takes which the commission had all ready found out and corrected.
 Sanders and LibeIers.
 So much for honest criticism. There
 
 reckless islander as has ever been pub Hlshed. Where the slanderers are of foreign origin I have no concern with feel for them the heartiest contempt and indignation; because. In a spirit Of wanton dishonesty and malice; hamper the execution of. the greatest work of the kind ever attempted. and are seeking to bring to naughe sse et t the credit of America one of the giant feats of the ages The outrageous accusations of these slanderers con. public servants who, for trained intel ligence. expert ability high charac- been excelled anywhere. There Is not man among those directing the work on the isthmus who has obtained hls position on any other basis than merit position in any way for his owh per- sonal or pecuniary advantage.
 Plan to Build by Contract.
 After most careful consideration we work by contract. if we can come to satisfactory terms with the contract ors The whole WoEk sn,of Is Of kima ina people: and our people have devel-- oped the type of contractor best fitted fo much beter Th to do the work or in ass part by contract than. to do it all by the government. provided 1t is pos
 
 contractor a sufficient remuneration to make 1t worth while for respon- sible contractors of the best kind to undertake the work: and provided on which will not give an excessive profit to the contractor at the expense of sideration the plan already promul- gated by the secretary of war was adopted This plan in its essential features was drafted after careful fhnrnnUh consideration. by the chief engineer. MT. Stevens, who while in the employment of MT Hill, the president of the Great North ern railroad. had personal experience of this very type of contract Mir Stevens then submitted the plan to the chairman of the commission MT. Shonts. who went carefully oyer It with MT. Rogers. the legal adviser of the commission. to see that all legal ted copies of the plan to both Secre- tary Taft and myself. Secretary Taft submitted it to some of the best coun- sel at the New York bar and after wards I went over it very carefully with Mir. Taft and MT. Shonts. and we laid the plan in it's general features | that it combines the maximum of ad- vantage with the minimum of disad- vantage. Under it premium will be put upon the speedy and economical | construction of the canal, and a pen alty 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 satisfactory agreement with re- l after the bids have been received; | and of course it is possible that we r can not come to agreement. in which 1 itself. Meanwhile the work on the 1 isthmus is progressing steadily and ! without any Jet up.
 Single Commissioner Desired.
 seven-headed commission is of course clumsy executive instrument. | We should have but one commissions CT. with such heads of departments and other officers under him we expressly e sly permitted permitted to empioy I9yo the l best engineers in >the country as con- l sulting engineers. sHs ,~'
 showing substantially What the canal will be like when it is finished. When 1 the Culebra cut las Nbeen made and l the dams built eff they are built as at present proposed) there will then be l at both the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the canal two great fresh-water 1 running at thef bottom of a ravine across the backbone of the Western Hemisphere. Those best informed he. l lieve that the, work will be completed | in about eight years; but it is never l safe to prophecy about such a work as this, especially in the tropics
 Confident of Ultimate Success. 1 Of the success of the enterprise I l III dS Weii ColNillCcu as one can DO 1 of any enterprise that is human It | is stupendous work upon which our i fellow countrymen are engaged down 1 there on the isthmus, and while we | should hold them to strict accounta- l bility for the way in which they per- 1 form it. we should recognize with | frank generosity. the epic nature of 1 the task upon which they are engaged and it's worldwide importance. They are doing something which will re- doud immeasurably to the credit of America. which will benefit. all the 1 to come. $, Under MT. Shonts and MT. | Stevens and pr. Gorgas this work has | started with every omen of good for