Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-03
lays a Characteristic Compliment TO
POultney Bigslow.
SHONTs SAYS WORK is PROGRESSING
Reports Of Labor Troubles Denied By
Chairman Of Commission.
KEN cONTENTED WITH CONDITIONS
Also Takes Occasion to Deny Engage
ment of His Daughter to n TITLED
FrenchmRn-TOo Young
60 wed.

NEW YORK, Dec. 2.-"Pres'dent Roose-
welt took the Pansmans by 4, H." said
Theodore P. Shonts, charm ~ Pan
ANA canal commission, VIII. 'os., w., he
Panama line steamer Colon ~. p"
Colon. Mr shonts spoke enthu.
OF the recent visit OF the chief exc 'L
and declared that work on the canal ',
progressing under satisfactory conditions
During his talk with the newspaper men
Mr.. Shonts took occasion to deny that his
daughter. Theodore, had become engaged
to a titled foreigner.
Chairman Shonts said that he would pro-
ceed at once to Washington. He was ac-
companied on the home trip by Rear Ad-
miral NJ. T. Endicott, also member Of
the canal commission; Richard r. Rogers
general counsel to the Commission; Major
John T. Phillips of the Department CT
Health OF the canal zone. and Joseph Rip
ley, a special engineer employed on the
canal.
Discussing the presidents visit Chair
man shonts said:
President Roosevelt simply took the peo-
pie OF Panama by storm. The setting aside
OF all precedents by the president in his
visit to Panama won the instant admiration
and respect OF tho people Of the Panama
republic. Mr. Roosevelt was familiar with
the work theoretically and saw and under
stood more during his short stay than the
average man would IN several months.
THE building Of the canal is to President
Roosevelt as the building OF a future home
would be to any other man. He looks on
It as his own personal work, having been
given carte blanche by congress in the
work.
speech PIeases People.
During the presidents trip through the
canal zone one OF the leading citizens
asked Mr.. Roosevelt what he thought Of
the criticism as written by Poultney Bige-
. low. The president answered: Small peo-
pie, like small flies, despoil large things
and large enterprises
"In the presidents speech at Colon the
thing that won the heart of the canal
workers and of the people was his state
ment: The men who are now working on
the canal and the citizens Of Panama who
are assisting them VIII SO down to posteT1ty
like the veterans Of the civil war. When
this great work is completed the men who
have been instrumental in its success will
look backward and say, II was part of it.
as do the veterans Of the civil war when
they look with pride at the great united
nation
This did more to endear the president
ana the United states in general 70 the
people than anything else he could have
said"
Mr.. shonts declared that the reports OF
labor troubles in the canal zone were abso-
lutely untrue. He said:
THE work on the canal was never in
better condition. The men are contented
and the work is going ahead very fast"
In regard TO the reported engagement Of
Miss Theodore shonts to Due de Chaulne'
ct de Pioquigny, MT. shonts said:
''rhe reported engagement Is absolutely
untrue. Both the Misses Shonts are scarcely
out OF school and will not make the!I
formal debut in society until the 18th Of
this month. when we open our new hom'
IN washington. The girls are no doubt
great friends OF the dues family and thai
may have been the foundation for the re
ported engagement"