The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-17

contingency had been met would have
caused wholly unwarranted delay The
right course to follow was exactly the
course which has been followed. Ev-
cry reasonable preparation was made
in advance. the hygienic conditions in
especial being made as nearly perfect
as possible; while on the other hand
there has been no timid refusal to
push forward the work because of in
ability to anticipate every possible
emergency, for, of course, many de-
fects can only be shown by the working
of the system in actual practice
In addition to attending to the
health of the employees, it is of course
necessary to provide for policing the
Zone. This is done by a police force
which at present numbers over 200
men. under Captain Stanton. About
one-nfth of the men are white and the
Others black. In different places I
questioned some twenty or thirty of
these men, taking them at random.
They were a fine set, physically and in
discipline. With one exception all the
white men I questioned had served in
the American army, usually in the
Philippines, and belonged to the best
type of American soldier. Without
exception the black policemen whom
I questioned had served either in the
British army or in the Jamaica or
Barbados police. They were evidently
contented. and were doing their work
well. Where possible the policemen
are used to control people of their own
color, but in any emergency no hesita-
ton is felt in using them indiscrimi-
natesy
Inasmuch as so many both of the
white and colored employees have
brought their families with them
schools have been established. the
school service being under Mr.. O'Con-
nor. For the white pupils white Amer
lean teachers are employed; for the
colored pupils there are also some
white American teachers, one Spanish
teacher, and one eolored American
teacher, most of them being colored
teachers from Jamaica, Barbados, and
st. Lucia The school rooms were
good, and it was Il pleasant thing to see
the pride that the teachers were tax
ing in their work and their pupils
There seemed % me to be too nanv
saloons in the Zone; but the new high
license Law which goes into effect on
January l next will probably close
four-ffths of them. Resolute and sue
Inize and control the sale of liquor
The cars on the passenger trains on |
tie Isthmus are divided into first and
second class, the difference being |
marked in the price of tickets. AS a |
rule second class passengers are col |
orad and first class passengers white:
but in every train which I saw there |
we're a number of white second class
We're colored first class passen gers.
Care of Employees.
Next in importance TO the problem /
OF sanitation. and indeed now of equal /
imp orta nee. is the problem of securing |
and caring for the mechanics, Ia borers /
and other employees who actually do /
The work on the canal and the railroad +
This great task has been under the
control of Mr.. Jackson Smith. and on i
the whole has been well done. At
present there are some 5000 white
and some 5000 colored en-
pIoyes on the isthmus. I went over the
different places where the different
kinds of employees were working: I /
think / saw representatives Of every
type both at their work and in tn cir
homes; and I conversed with probably
a couple of hundred of them all told,
them at random from every
class and including those who came
especially to present certain griev-
ances. / found that those who did not
come specifically to present grievances
almost invaria bly, expressed far greater
content. and satisfaction with the con-