Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-18

engaged on the task. After awhile the
number will he doubled. In such a
multitude it is inevitable that there
should be here and there a scoundreI.
In q place which has been for ages a
byword for unhealthfulness and with
so large a congregation Of strangers
suddenly put down and set to hard
work there will now and then be out
breaks of disease. There will be short
com,ngs in administration; there will
he unlocked for accidents Each such
incident will be entirely natural. and,
even though serious, no one of them
will mean more than little extra de-
Law or trouble Yet each. when discOy.
cred by sensation mOngers and retailed
to timid folk Of little faith. will serve
as an excuse for the belief that the
whole work is being badly managed.
Experiments will continually be made
in housing. in hygiene. in street repair
ing, in dredging and in digging earth
and rock. Now and then an experiment
will be failure. and among those
who hear of ii a certain proportion Of
doubling Thomases will at once be-
lieye that the whole work is failure.
Doubtless here and there some minor
rascality will be uncovered, but as to
this I have to say that after the most
painstaking inquiry l have been I'M
able to find single reputable per-
son who had so much as heard of any
serious accusations affecting the hon
esty Of the commission or Of any re-
sponsihle officer under it. 1t is not too
much to say that the whole atmos-
phere of the commission breathes hon
esty as it breathes efficiency and ener-
gy. Above all. the work has been kept
absolutely clear of politics. j have
never heard even suggestion OF
spOils politics in connection with it.
Plan to Build by Contract.
After most careful consideration We
have decided to let out most of the
work by contract If we can come to
satisfactory terms with the contract
Ors. The whole work is of kind
suited 10 the peculiar genius of our
people. and our people have developed
the type of contractor hest fitted to
grapple with it, After much cOnsid-
Grafton the plan already promulgated
by the secretary of war was adopted.
This plan was drafted by Chief Engi-
neer Stevens. was submitted TO the
chairman Of the commission. Mr..
ShOnts, who went over it with MIR.
Rogers, the legal adviser Of the com
mission. and copies We're then sub
mitted to both Secretary Taft and my
self. Secretary Taft submitted it to
some of the best counsel at the New
York bar. and afterward l went over
1t very carefully with Mr. Taft and
slr. Shonts. and we laid. the plan be-
fore Mr.. Root My conclusion Is that
it combines the maximum Of advan-
tage with the minimum Of disadvan-
. tage Under it premium will be put
upon the speedy and economical con-
StructiOn of the canal and a. penalty
imposed on. delay and waste. y, OF
course lids. possible thatnwe cannot
come to an agreement with the con-
tractors, In which case the govern
ment will do the work itself. Mean
while the work on the isthhms Is pro-
crossing steadily and without any let
up. r.. - - T. -'-'' ~ + .,f
A seven headed commission is q
clumsy executive instrument. We
should have but one commissioner,
with heads Of departments and other
officers under him. We should be ex-
pressly permitted to employ the best
engineers in the country as consulting
engineers.
l accompany this paper with map
showing substantially what the canal
will be like when it Is finished. When
the Culebra cut has been made and
the dams built Of they are built as at
present proposed), there will be at
both the Pacific and Atlantic ends of
the canal two great fresh water lakes,
connected by broad channel running
at the bottom Of a ravine across the
backbone of the western hemisphere.
Those best informed believe that the
work will lie completed in about eight
years, but 1t Is never safe to prOphesy
about such a work as this, especially