Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-10-05


I mean the Panama canal. The dig
ging Of that canal will be Of bene-a
fit to the whole country, but most Of
al to the states of the Pacific slope
and the gulf; and if the Mississippi
Is, properly improved. to the states
through which it flows. The digging
of the Panama canal is the greatest
engineering feat which as vet been
attempted on this globe. The work
has been going on most successfully
and with fewer drawbacks and diff
f1culties than I had dared hope. When
under our treaty with Panama we
took possession of the canal zone ID
was confident that we should be able
to build the canal, butt took 1T for.
granted that we should meet many
Iunexpe ted difficulties, not only in the
actual work, but through, and be-
Icause of, the diseases which had
made the isthmus a byWord of I'M
healthfulness. The work done In
| making the onditions on the isthmus
healthy, however, has been so sue
cessful that at present the death rate
among the thousands Of Americans
engaged in the canal work is lower
than in most localities in the United
States. The organization has been
perfected, the machinery installed,
and the actual work, Of the dredges,
the steam shovels, and the dirt trains
is going on with constantly increas-:
ing rapidity and effectiveness. In
the month of August over twelve
hundred thousand cubic yards Of ma
terial were removed chiefly from the
Cu1ebra cut the record removal and
If this rate can be kept up, as 1 be-.
lieve 1t will be kept up, the work of
digging will be through ii half a
dozen years. The finishing Of the
locks Of the great dam may take a
little longer; but it begins to look
as though the work will be completed
even sooser than we had estimated.
- ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ - - - - ~ y - - -
: Rememb Der, gestlemen, that :.
= any work like this entails grave :.
= responsibilities. The one isto1- =
:. cradle position for a aself -respec $
= isg nation, as for a self-respect- !.
: isg mas, is to bluff and tres not =
:. be able to make good. We have =
!. accept the Monroe doctrine as Z:
I: d cardinal feature of our foreign 8
policy. We have undertaken =
!: not only to build but to police I:
I. and TO guard the Panama can z.
- al.
!. = !. 4. i: :: = = :: !. !. : !.
This means, unless we are willing
to- accept the humiliation Of being
treated some time by some strong
| nation as a vain and weak braggart,
that we must build and maintain our
navy at the highest point OF efficien-
cy. When the canal is finished our
navy can move from one ocean to
the other at will for, remember
that our doors open on both oceans.
Until then our battle feet, which
should always be kept and maneuTers
fed as unit, ought now to appear
in our home waters in one ocean and
now to appear In our home waters In
| the other.
= : = $ = i. !. I. !. : :. I. . :: =
$ And, oh my friends and fell 3
I: low-Americans, most earnestly =
I: hope all our people will rememl =
I. Der that in the Fundamental ques- 4
:. lions most deeply acecting the 9
= life Of. the nation there can be 3
i. no proper division ON party lines !:
* Matters OF such grave moment =
i = should be dealt with along the !:
4 $ lines OF consistent and well .
1 = thought-out policy, without re- !:
4 gard to any change Of admins 4
!: tration or of party at Washing !:
4 = ton. Such questions as the up =
Il = holding and caintenance Of the I:
a !. United States navy the compile |:
i !: ton of the Panama canal in ac- !:
II !: cordance with the plans now be-
4 = ing carried out, and the improve !:
d I. n1ent Of the Mississippi river, are 4
8 = not party questions. I
10 q Is Z: 4. = = Z. n = = 1
am striving I'd accomplish VIVA
u can in such matters as these he
cause the welfare Of the nation i'm
n periously demands the action that I
Il am taking III is action In the inter
3 est OF all the people, and the nee
81 for It will be as great long after
I have passed out Of public life as !
8 lis now. On these great points tina
Tie GORDON Hat
\ A & GOD name,