The Washington herald., 1906-12-18

great task IN Panama may be found in
President Roosevelts account of his oh
servations on the isthmus. which has
been transmitted TO Congress rs q special
message. The President spent only three
days in the Canal Zone, but they were
busy days, and Mr. Roosevelt was q keen
and untiring inquisitOr. His investga-
tons ranged from great engineering
problems to the question of the yam
supply. which last is a vital one 10 some
of the negro laboTers. who told the Pres
ident Of their yearning for the esculent
tubers of their native Chimes. He talked
with the police and the canal diggers,
chatted with housewives, and coadoled
with bachelors. saw The big steam
shovels at work in Culebra cut, being
pressed up. as if they were mountain
howitzers, into the most unlikely looking
places. where they eat their way into the
hiusides"
Mr.. Roosevelt found much TO commend
in the preparatory work Of the canal ad-
ministration. The foundations of the
great task, he thinks. have been well
laid. Twenty-Five thousand laborers are
adequately and healthfully housed and
fed, and the death rate has been enor-
mously lowered. BY the practical exter-
mination of the mosquito. the danger
from yellow fever and malarious diseases
has been reduced to the minimum Hos
pitfalls, hotels and dwellings have been
built sewers constructed. streets paved.
and water supply provided. With thor
oughgOing sanitation and rigid inspection
Of the laborers' quarters. il is hoped, and
with good reason, that canal construction
VIII not be delayed by epidemics or a low
state of health among the working force.
The work Of construction, the President
tells us. is now going on with vigOr and
efficiency mainly in the CUlebra cut,
where most Of the labor viii have to be
done.
The Presidents conclusion as TO the
labor supply is that the bulk of the ordi-
nary labor must be done by West In
dian negroes and Chinese. He is unable
10 see why American workingmen should
have any concern in the question whether
the rough work is done by black or by
yellow aliens, inasmuch as aliens must
be employed in any event "Our bust
ness, he observes. lis 10 dig the canal
as efficiently and as quickly as possible:
provided always that nothing is done that
IS inhuman TO any laborers, and nothing
that iuteTfeTes with the wages of or
lowers the standard of living of our own
workmen." Moved by this consideration.
he has arranged to try several thousand
Chinese laborers. The West Indian
laborers he hnds only fairly satisfactory"
Many Of them desert their regular en-
ployment for a precarious living in the
jungle, or work but three or four DAYS a
week As the canal administration has
experienced some difficulty in getting even
this Inefficient labor MI. Roosevelt thinks
il undesirable that the employment of
labor should be restricted TO any one
class OF workmen. The use of Chinese
labor though obviously experimental will
he watched with interest. if not with
some apprehension and misgiving. by the
American people.
President Ro0sevelts sole important
recommendation is that the construction
of the canal be placed in charge of 4
single commissioner. with heads Of de-
partnents directly responsible to him. and
with express authority to employ the
most capable consulting engineers. The
present commission he now regards as 4
clumsy executive instrument" with
which opinion all viii agree.
We are assured by the President that
there is not a man on the isthmus who
has used his position in any way for his
personal or pecuniary advantage For
dishonest and malicious critics the Presi-
dent naturally feels the -heartiest con
tempt He has no doubt of the ultimate
success of the enterprise. though minor
failures may give opportunity for doubt
ing Thomases to predict the failure Of
the whole project. II is an epic task in
which we are engaged down there. as
Mr.. Roosevelt says, and We are glad to
know that Americans playing a part in
il for q specified time will be given a
badge Of honor They will richly de-
serve IL Meantime, let US all respond to
the Presidents patriotic appeal to hold up
the hands of the Panama workers and
aid them in every way to bring their
great work TO a triumphant conclusion"