The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-01-19
TO
BUILD BIG DITCH
COMMISSION MAKES RADICAL
CHANGE IN POLICY OF
CONSTRUCTION.
WILL SOLVE PROBLEM
That Arise In Regard to Labor--About
Thirty-two Mile Sections to be
Let.-Stevens Before the
Committee.

Wash gton, Jan, 1S-The Panama
canal will be constructed by contrac-
tors. This important decision was
made today by the Panama Canal
commission Tue plan has been APP
r,oved by President Roosevelt and
within a few days an official announce
ment will be made
1t was decided that ii would be
more economical to let contracts and
hold the contractors TO strict eXecu-
tion of the'r agreements. The work
will be done under the 'rection of the
engineers of the canal commission.
There was some question whether
the commission had legal authority TO
pursue such a course Attorney Gen
eral Moody, who was asked for an
opinion, decided that the law pro
viding for the construction of the
canal leaves the method of conslruc'
tiCn entirely to the discretion of the
president and The comm ssion.
The commission is now preparing
plans for the subdivision of the work
into sections upon which bids will be
asked Each section will be about TWO
miles long. This will enable twenty
FIVE or thirty contractors to engage
n the work
Can Solve Labor Problem.
The commission has found more
than a hundred reliable contractors
willing TO undertake the work ana
capable of executing It, The success.
ful contractors will be permitted to
purchase from the government the
big steam shovels now on the Isthmus
and they will be allowed TO pay for
them on the installment plan, the
time extending over the period of
their contracts It Is believed the gov
ernment will be relieved Of many OF
IT'S embarrassments by having the
work done by contract
The contractors themselves will
have to solve the labor problem and
,ther troublesome questions, and IT
Is believed the canal will be com
pleted much sooner than If construct.
ed by the government
The investigation of Panama canal
affairs was begun today by the senate
committee on Interoceanic canals,
John f. Stevens. chief engineer of the
canal was examined ben nd closed
doors. His testimony is being taken
In secret because the type of the
canal Is one of the features on which
he Is being questioned.
The committee held sessions both
morning and afternoon. Mr.. Stevens.
during the first session, explained gen
eral conditions on the Isthmus He
took a roseate view of the situation.
He emphatically pronounced the opin-
ion that the canal can be constructed.
He reviewed the work already accom-
pllshed In the way Of sanitation and
preparation.
The question of labor has proved a
difficult problem, Mr.. Stevens said.
He prefers Chinese. but "a these can
not be obtained he thought negroes
will do well enough after sufficient
forcement of the e'ght-hour laws on
the Isihmus is extremely unfortunate
and will add materially 90 the cost of
the canal The laborers are accusiom-
ed 10 working longer hours. and this
would be better from many points of
view, including that of discipline.
Mr. Stevens denied that women
have been brought 90 the lsthmus for
immoral purposes. He pronounced all
reports to that effect witout founda-
tion.
Eavors a Lock Canal.
Great progress, Mr.. Stevens. said is
being made n the work of organiza-
ticn. Actual work Is being prosecuted
at several places along the canal route.
Eight steam shoyels are cxcayating In
the Culebra cut.
At the afternoon session Mr.
Stevens was examined regarding the
type Of canal which should be con-
The committee had an ad-
vance copy OF the report Of the slvis-
ory board Of consulting engineers,
which recommends a sea level canal
and which was forwarded tn COZ
idence to the president Mr. stevens
favCrs lock canal because IN can D.
built In much less time and at less
expense. u has heretofore been de- /
clarcd by Mr.. Stevens that the cost I
Df a scalevel canal for the foriy-scyen /
mile aorr.-a fh~ LII a ry4ffa 4F Panama /
would cost more than 10 build level 4
railroad from New York to san Fran
cisco.
The examination Of Mr Stevens will I
be continued tomorrow Poultney +
Eigelow will take The stanl Thursday
Chairman Miilard Of the committee,
said today that he does not expect the !
on to be concluded before i
he middle Of March. Every charge i