East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-12-17
IE:S|DENT'S SPECIAL MESSAGE
DEFENDS THE PANAMA CANAL
visit of Roosevelt to the Cara Zone Brings Out One of His
Abest and Most Entertaining Papers.
The Work Panama Is Reviewed DeaHeath
plainei-Technical Details
tanning Manner-Galleries

control of Jackson Smith, and on the
whole has been well done. At pres
ent there are some 5000 white en-
ployes and some 10000 colored en-
ployes on the isthmus. l went over
the different places where the differ
ent kinds of employees were working:
think / saw representatives Of every
type of both at their work and in their
homes; and conversed with probably
100 of them all told. choosing them
at random from every class and in
cluding those who did not come to
present certain grievances. l found
those who did not come specifically to
present grievances almost invariably
expressed far greater content and sat-
isfaction with the conditions than did
those who called to make complaint.
Nearly 5000 of the white employees
had come from the United States. No
man can see these young, vigorous
men energetically doing their duty
without thrill of pride in them as
Americans. They represent on the
average a high class.
DOuplleSs W COnSTtSS the wages
paid them will seem high, but as a
matter of fact the only general COM
plant made to me upon the isthmus
was that, owing to the peculiar sur
roundings, the cost of living, and the
distance from home, the wages were
really not as high as they should be.
In fact, almost every man 1 spoke
to felt that he ought to be receiving
more money-a view. however, which
the average man who stays at home
in the United States probably likewise
holds as regards himself.
New Records I'm Excayating.
AS soon as the type of canal was
decided this work began in good
earnest. The rainy season will short
ly be over and then there will be an
immense increase in the amount taken
out; but even during the last three
months, in the rainy season. steady
progress is shown by the figures: In
August, $4,000 cubic yards; in Sep
tember, $4,000 cubic yarus, and in
October, $4,000 cubic yards.
In October new records were estab-
lished for the output of individual
shovels as well as for the tonnage haul
of individual locomotives, I hope to
see the growth of a healthy spirit of
emulation between the different shovel
and locomotive crews, just such a
spirit as has grown on out battleships
between the different gun crews in
matters of craftsmanship.
Passing through the cut the amount
of new work can be seen at a glance.
In one place the entire side of a hill
had been taken out recently by 81
tons of dynamite, which were ex-
ploded at one blast. At another place
l was given a presidential salute of
81 charges of dynamite.
On the top notch of the Culebra
cut the prism is now as wide as it will
be; all told, the canal bed at this
point has now been sunk about 200
feet below what it originally was. 1t
will have to be sunk about 130 feet
farther. Throughout the cut the drill
ing, blasting, shoveling and hauling
are going on with constantly increas-
ing energy, the huge shovels being
pressed up, as if they were mountain
howitzers, into the most unlikely look
ing places, where they eat their way
into the hillsides.
Answers the Slanderers.
Concluding his vigorous and thor
ough report on the canal situation,
the president says of the slanderous
reports and articles which have been
printed by various correspondents
and publications:
So much for honest criticism There
remains an immense amount of as
reckless slander as has ever been
published. Where the slanderers are
of foreign origin I have no concern
with them. Where they are Ameri-
cans, I feel for them the heartiest
contempt and indignation; because, in
a spirit of wanton dishonesty and
malice, they are trying to interfere
with. and hamper the execution of,
the greatest work of the kind ever
attempted, and are seeking to bring
to naught the efforts of their country
men to put to the credit of America
one of the giant feats of the ages
The outrageous accusations of these
constitute a gross libel upon
n body of public servants who, for
trained intelligence, expert ability
high character and devotion to duty,
have never been eXcelled anywhere.
There is not man among those di-
recting the work on the isthmus who
has obtained his position on any other
basis than merit alone. and not one
who has used his position in any way
for his own personal or pecuniary ad-
Reyolutionists Arrested.