Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-08
Stories About Affairs on Isthmus
Given Currency by People
With Grievances.
WORK OF SENSATION MONGERS
Every Charge, Of Whatever Ma.
ture, Made by Them Has Been
Investigated, Proved False
Declares that the Work on the Isthmus
Has Been Done, and Done
Admirably.

Washington, Jan. s.-'rhe letter or
President Roosevelt transmitting to
Congress the annual reports OF the 18th
mian canal commission aud the pana-
ma Railroad company. together with
Secy Tafts letter transmitting the
same is as follows,
To the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives:
! enclose herewith the annual re-
port or the isthmian canal commission.
the annual report OF the Panama Rail
road company and the secretary OF
wars letter transmitting the same, to-
gether with certain papers.
GREAT PROGRESS MADE.
The work on the isthmus Is being
admirably done and great progress mas
been made. especially during the last
nine months. The plant Ia being got
ready and the organization perfected.
Inc DIST work to be done Was The work
OF sanitation, the necessary preliminary
10 the work of actual construction, aud
this has been pushed forward with tho
utmost energy and means. In a short
WINE snail lay before you the recon-
hlendatlons OF the commission and OF
we BOARD or consulting engineers az to
the proper plan to be adopted for the
canal itself. together with my own re-
commentator thereon. All tho work
80 far has been done not only with the
utmost expedition. but in the most
careful and thorough manner and what
mas peen accomplished gives US good
reason TO believe that the canal will
ne aug IN shorter time than had been
anticipated and at an expenditure with
allotted MY A
nave right to contribute their services
on the high standard OF efficiency and
integrity which has been hitherto main.
tained by the representatives of the
government In doing this great work.
~ tnis high standard OF efficiency and
integrity can be maintained in the fu-
ture at the same level which II has now
reached. the construction OF the pana-
ma canal will be one OF the features
20 which the people of this republic
WIZ look back with the highest pride.
HAS EXAMINED CHARGES.
From time to time varions nubIca.
tiohs nave been made and from TINA
To time in the future various similar
puOhcations doubtless will be mad,
purporting to give an account of lob.
peIy OF immortality, or inefiiciency. or
misery as obtaining on the lsthmus,
nave carefully examined into each OF
these accusations which seemed worthy
Oh attention. In every instance the ac-
cusatlons have proved To be without
louhuation In any shape or form. They
spring from several sources. Sometimes
they take the shape of statements of
irresponsible Investigators OF a sensa-
tloi'al haDit OF mind incapable of oh.
serving or repeating with accuracy
what they see and DESTROYS of obtalnlns
notoriety by widespread Islander. Nor,
often they originate with, or are given
currency by individuals with n per-
sonai grievance, The sensation mongers
both those who stay at home and those
who visit the isthmus may ground thnlr
accusations on false statements by
some engineer who, having applied for
service on the commission, had been
refused such service. now endeavors to
dlscredit his successful competitors or
by some lessee or owner of real estate
who has sought action or inaction by
the commission to Increase the value nf
his lots and Is bitter because the cont
mission cannot be used for such pur-
poses, or on the tales of disappointed
bidders FOR contracts, or of oificeholders
who have proved incompetent or wha
have been suspected of corruption AMI
dismissed, or who have been overcome
by panic and have fed from the 18TH
mus. Every specific charge relating to
iobhery, to immortality or To ineficlency.
from whatever source It has come, hd.
been Immediately inyestigat ted and in
no single case have the statements of
these sensation mongers and the inter-
ested complainants behind them proved
true. The only discredit inherng In
these false accusations is to those who
originate and give them currency and
who, to the extent OF their ability there's
by hamper and obstruct the completion
OF the great work IN which both the
honor and the interest of America are
80 deeply involved. II matters NOT
whether those guilty OF the false accu-
sations utter them IN mere wanton reck-
lessuess and folly or in a spirit OF sim
lister malice to crafty some personal
or political grudge.
ANY attempt TO cut down the salar-
les OF the officials OF the isthmian COM
mission or OF their subordinates who
are doing important work would be
rulnous from the standpoint OF accomp-
fishing the work effectively To quote
the words of one Of the best observers
on the isthmus, decentralization of the
service is certain II the reward for sue
cessful endeavor is reduction of pay
4 GIGANTIC TASK.
I'VE nre undertaking In Panama A
gigantic task-the largest piece OF en-
cheering ever done. The employment
Of the men engaged thereon Is only
temporary and yet 1t will require the
highest order of ability II IL Is TO be
done economically, honestly and elli-
GENTLY. To attempt TO secure men To
do this work on Insufficient salaries
would amount to putting a premium on
ineflciency and corruption. Men NJ for
the work win not undertake it unless
they are we'll paid. In the end the
men who do undertake II Will be left tn
seek other employment with their chief
reward the reputation they achieve
Their work Is infinitely more difficult
than any private work, both because
OF the peculiar conditions Of the tropl-
cal land in which II IL laid and because
II is impossible TO free them from the
peculiar limitations inseparable con-
nected with government employment.
While it is unfortunately true that
men engaged In public work, no matter
how devoted aud dsinterested their
services. must expect TO be made the
objects of Misrepresentation and at