New-York tribune., 1906-01-21

Cincinnati Ian 2o-Theodore P. Shonts, chair
man of the Isthmian Canal Commission, spoke
here tonight before the Commercial Cluo'
Mr.. Shonts said in part:
The character of labor employed on the lsthnns ,I
has with the time it will take to oHiin
the cana-more to do with the cost OF coIsI- uSioA
There IS no ins1perabie diiiculty in the way Of
the construction of the canal from an nass Of iabor
The serious problem is to get what VIII De Lass
feG OF LABOR b TINS In eSamnng this question have
studied and discussed the merits Of labor OF nea &
chief difficulty with which we have to coptehIa Iavrs m
Witch Sie hedge about it's use In order to comply
with the letter spirit Of these laws The best
advertise secure the lowest bidder who WIZ ne
nothing or less I imam an 4eared by the gov
ernment of the country from whlcn me last laDoLet
Of his family while he is away and advance the
money for the necessary RAJ P a5or iyered i've e on
the isthmus in addition to the agents rem remunera.
must proteet itself against the charge of forcing
Involuntary serytude. and hence It can aGops fo M0
leaving the sthmus the day after arrival, mus @
reHr tRf RSaeT Te result q this is practically
to make Oriental labor prohibitye in the cohStluo
Experiment with italian laborers while not MADE f
on large scale has not been 9ssessed Of
great vitality. and succumb quickly TO lro'i'"i
The West Indian negro that are using has put
little life and ambition in him we are pTaGQGa4iy ANY
we are not getting over % per cent. or from most
liberal point of view 80 -3 per cent. of the etti-
cheney of the most ordinary labor in the UnlteQ
states we are now arranging to experiment With
class of labor was used to great advantage by Sir
William Van Horne in the construction on OF f ms are E
Of muscular build, -docile in temperament and Will
ton to to become sub-foremen and forem%eh % IN
their work. In other words besides belng ianoi a t.
ers thew have a spark of ambition which MAKES IL
possible to develop them into & so4ethng met frber ad
Of
guage which most of our foremen men tbe efngT hiio" u
Before closing my remarks in regard to the I'M In
peat and to emphasize the opinion have expFesSed
on former occasions in regard to the & o0 0P
% cent5 @ 10 coman 20 sh6r in in h United states it's ef
fcjepc4 is rated at from Is to SO per cent. Over
50 per cent of the employees of the canal are now
and an a will o6er ~ per s9 be cent emod viii
clerical guperyisory or in some OF other F caRaGg Raeg
States are not applicable. 1t is to this kind Oh
t6st is to Aliens who know nothing Of the laws
existence until they arrive on the isthmus cost or
at A fa5 e e per case cent we paT ear oar
6d y TRg h bou 5oin VIII we cn employ them
only eight hours day we can give them work for
them for ten hours a day give them sixty
hours week They will accept "a smaller nall 1 h9uf6y fdy
for{y-eight ho1rs. rs matter Of fact the skilled He'd
sr it dsTns day G se saa ha any
hours pay When they work overtime on the be,s eight
IS Pp obvds tnsy tRt orcns t eng
O9s Of dollars viii be 1add m 6g to ood the
try viii have pay its share in the consequent IN
bas f9n Shown ano xd dGF 90 era are only very
few American laboTers on the sthmus- Ingre mere, IS
we Work and Pepeat what the commission has urged
IN nap 3'f tbe aat consrSon Of the Panama Canal with
any laws save those of police and sanitation. and
the' he aPpcaon GG6 fR 5R Of the law contract
labor law the Chinese exclusion act and any other her
Joyv sod q be Congress
BEN beneft TsofSA Of American ne lea labor at home.
ANSWERS SENSATION MoNGERs.
Quoting the Presidents recent remarks in his
message to Congress regarding the sensation
mongers'' who write about the canal, Mr. shonts
said:
A notable specimen Of this scandal mongerng
literature was laid before the country Few Gays
eight hours and ten minutes on the isthmus; The
eS aoTdneTv " bowers of observation and produc
ton can collect an enormous amount of m9ter1a1 az
at 10 a. m. and sailed away on the same steamer
from Colon at 80 p IN m on ON 9nes he d9 fh0Se
lated fund of exact knowledge sufficient to enable
@ ba fP aFam geeretary Taft the Canal Commits
sion. Governor Magoon Chief Engineer stevens I
on the isthmus since the H american lean government
into possession OF the canal z9de bt annb,
lated tee h6y by seeFetaPy P Taft and Mr. Stevens and
{ mention as an illustration of his miraculous pow
Of N He said tsat sa eqeaf dng q fba sW
ers of Panama that it backed the sewage up into
cellars and ruined many houses There Is not a
cellar in Panama, and never has been.
Speaking for the members of the commission as
well as for myself, wish to say, with all possible
Emphasis that we not only invite investigation Of
our acts but ask for it right If we are doing
our work honestly and efficiently, hands should
be upheld If it is shown that we are doing it in
| eff1cientIv we should be removed; and If we are
doing it dishonesty. should be exposed, convict
ed and sent prison. Neither knaves nor incompe-
tents should be permitted to have charge of task
of such magnitude. But while we court the fullest
| Investigation earnestly ask that 1t be aoso-
lutey non-partisan, and that it be made by
! of character and standing either in public or pr-
| yate life, whose recognized intelligence and fair
mindedness are such as to command public conf
| dence and that IL be made upon the ground.
| We ask further that the investigation be made
| promptly and ended soon as it can be, and have
its work done thoroughly This is absolutely neces-
sary if we are TO maintain any degree Of efficiency
| in the organization. The feeling of uncertainty
| and unrest which constant agitation about the
Commission and it's work creates is destructive of
that interest the work which is essential If the
best results to be secured. 1t is impossible to
| retain good in the service under such cond-
| tiOnS.