Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-21
Preparatory Work Nearly Dore.

Preparatory Work Nearly Done.
Our preparatory work Is nearing com
pletion. 1t has, in fact, advanced as far as
we can carry II safely until We know den-
niteIy the type of canal we are to con-
struct whether It Is to be sea level or high
level II is of the utmost Importance. there
fore, that decision as to this type be reach-
ed at the earliest possible moment. hau
hoped when l accepted your invitation that
before the time to address you should ar
rive the advisory board would have made
it's report. and l should be at hberty 10
speak freely about it, and TO discuss oo.n
the details of the plan decided upon and ''le
methods to be employed in its execution
The members of the board consumed much
more time in their deliberations tHan theJ
had anticipa ted, and as the two reports
which they have decided to make are NOT
vet before the commission. 1t would be op-
Viously improper for me to enter upon 1he
subject now. ,,
may be the type decided upon Il VIII take
us but a short time to complete the ar
rangements for beginning at once TO carry
its details into execution on conpreGen-
siye scale We shall divide the work INTO
sections and prepare specifications asking
for bids for contracts for Such PORTIONS VI
the work as we think can be cone aoNai-
tapenusIy in that way. We are strongly III
favor of doing the work by contract II the
type of canal and the prices bid VIII per
init. One of the chief dement's "e raw W
rived from the preparatory work is the &C
cumulation of knowledge as TO tie hatuL
of material to be handled and the cost ol
handling it. which Will enable Us ~ ,os re re-
whether or not such bids as we ma! ,bo
ceive will make 1t desirable to nave the
work done by contract
Scandal Mongering Literature.
A notable specimen of scandal mongerihs
literature was laid before the country d
few days ago from the pen Of man WAC
had spent twenty eight hours and ten MIN
utes on the sthmus. The ten minutes are
important for a person of such eXtraorol-
nary powers of observation and production
can collect an enormous amount OF material
in that time He landed at Colon on NO
vember 30 a l am. and sailed way on the
same steamer from Colon at 2:1O pm. on
December /. In those twenty-eignt hours
and ten minutes he accumulated fufid OF
exact knowledge sufficient 10 enaDle MN 10
draw "a general and sweeping lndictiheht Oh
the President. Secretary TAFT the cahai
commission Gov. Magoon, Chief Engineer
Stevens Col. Gorgas and everything thal
has been done on the isthmus since the
American government came into posSessloh
of the canal zone.
Invite Investigation of All Acts.
Speakjng for the members Of the commits
sion as well as for myself | wish to say
with all possible emphasis that we not only
invite investigation of our acts but ask Tor
it as a right. If are doing our work
honestly and efficiently, our hands should
he upheId: If II is shown that we doing
it inefficiently. We should be removed; ana
If we are doing 1t dishonesty, we should De
exposed. convicted and sent to prison.
Neither knaveS nor incompetents should ne
permitted to have charge of task OF Such
magnitude But while we court the fullest
investiga ton. earnestly ask that IL be
absolutely nou-parttsan, that 1t be made ps
persons of character and standing, either
in public or private life. whose recognized
intelligence and -mindedness are sucn
rs to command public confidence, and that
II b. made upon the ground.
We ask further that the investigation De
made promptly and ended soon as it can
be and have its work done thoroughly. InlS
is absolutely necessary II we are TO mann
tain any degree of efficiency in the organi-
cation. The feeling of uncertainty and I'M
rest which constant agitation about the
commission and it's work creates Is de-
strlIctive of that interest in the work which
is essential II the best results are TO be
secured. 1t is impossible to retain good
men in the service under such conditions.
/ believe in the canal; believe that 1t
can be built in a reasonable time and De
lieye that when. through American gem
erosity and under American control. IL shall
he thrown open to the commerce of the
world it will be hailed, and will prove TO ne
a priceless boon TO all mankind II VIII
justify the faith of the American people
in lis wisdom and worldwide benefcenca,
anG will justify also the expenditure of mil
lions of American money for its construc-
the position of this nation in relation to
the trade and commerce of the world Will
DC a most favorable one.
Advantages of the Canal i
We shall have a virtually continuous
coast line from the northeastern extremity
of Maine 10 the western extremity of Alas
ka open alike TO the ships of the Atlantic
and the Pacific. and giving to both the OPP
portunty 10 trade directly with each other
San Francisco will be within fourteen days
of New York by steamers making sixteen
knots an hour instead OF sixty days and
within tweuty-one days of any English port
instead of thirty-ive.
The west coast of South America will be
5000 miles nearer to our ports than to those
of Europe, opening to our products an en-
tireiy new field of commerce which has In
Il great possibilities. These are the broad,
general facts In the case and I need not
explain to you that they have i'll them OPP
portunities that OF incalculable value.
They open TO the United States new mar
kes for its products. new opportunities for
that enlargement OF foreign trade which
our rapidly growing production is demand
ing year by year.
In this enlargement of Industrial and COM
mercial activity the whole nation will
share All railway lines, including the
transcontinental, will be benefited by the
increased traffic which viii surely follow.
New steamship lines Will be opened TO ac-
commOdate The new trade between the two
Americas and the expanded trade with
Australia and the orient. The worlds traf-
fic will be changed to new currents, and
In the change all the nations of the earth
Will profit.
The Moral and Political Effects
But great and worldwide will be the
material benefits of the canal the moral
and political effects will be no less remark
able and no less salutary. In the United
States the Inevitable effect will be 10 de-
velop stronger and deeper sentiment of
national unity than this country has ever
known New and larger trade relations will
join the Atlantic seaboard and the Pacific
coast more closely than even the transcon-
tineutal railways have accomplished, and
will tend 10 unity in interest and sentiment
all the Americas.
With the canal open there will be no At
lanttc and no Pacific fleet, either in the
navy or in the merchant marine, but an
American fleet As an object lesson in the
need of an isthmian waterway, the trip of
the Oregon in the spring of 1898 from San
afNfsiE ffa