The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-30
ABSolll1Eaag PURE
CANAL ZONE CONDITIONS.
CIear-sighted Employee Replies to Timsse
Democrats Criticism of CHIEF Engi-
neer Stevens. and Tells OF the
Work Accom- plished by that
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Capable Omcial.


Capable oGciaI.
In its issue OF Wednesday, March
q, the New Orleans Times. Democrat
publishes the following interesting and
opportune communication:
To the Editor Of The Times Democrat:
In your issue Of March 2. L and an
editorial headed The Three Dis
sgraces, " who are later specified In the
body of the article as Messrs. Wal.
lace, Shonts and Stevens.
Having been for almost twenty years
reader of your paper, and in aadi-
tion being southern man, whose ev.
cry sympathy is with New Orlesbs in
her efforts to gain business, nsyer-
theless feel that you are unjust 10 ~.
least one OF these gentlemen.
Believing yourself justified [ by the
fact that your people have failed to
secure the privileges in steamer service
they sought In critlcising Mr. Stevens
harshly, you have characterized his
resignation as being like that 81. pGr.
w Wsllace, when as matter of fact IL ID
utterly different.
When Mr.. Wallace rendered his res
ignation hehad not even started tcaor.
ganize working force, practically
nothing that was Of any great sizehad
been done, the health conditions WeEe
such as to leave it open,to discussion
whether or not they were prim1fily
the cause Of his leaving, and whether
or not the president and MIR. Tan were
justified in their view that is wAsgFir-
tnally 3 desartfon under Ere, the facts
seem to indicate that they had good
ground for this belief.
With Mr.. shonts, the resignation OF
whose position seems to have heen sat.
isfactory 70 the president, the secrs.
tary of war and others In authority.
the press has been, until your article.
very lenient. That there is justice In
your criticism Of him neither admit
nor discuss, as believe he viii efthsR
not notice it or answer IL fully himself.
AS to Mr.. Stevens, the condl ltlons
are entirely different. Having hssn
employed TO 90 TO the Philippines for
the United States government as chief
engineer, he was, az an emsrgency
measure, switched on to the PsnAma
canal to I'll a similar position, and, like
any other local employee, he caals, re-
gardless of the fact that az elaas same
every American who came here sels
that he was taking his life i'd dis hand.
Since his arrival on the isthmuss By
means Of his ismanaeement and effective
Incorporation with the other dspnE sAens
heads, and last but NOS least his rec.
ognition and encouragement OF tbs
ability of his subordinases, ha has
placed the canal work Ia the position
of !" a gotng concern, not eompls SLY
equipped as Jet, it is true, bsat, save
in articles Of machinery nscsssary 10
start some phases oE the work not ret
touched, practically oTgasIzsd end
equipped.
He leaves the work, when he does
leave it, in such condItion that an.
less thsre should be . wholesale reaig-
nation Of the subordinates Of higher
rank, practically any man % good sd
ministratiys ability could taks hold Of
1t and finish il.
The lock and dam part Of tbs work
is under the charge and direction ef
4 Mr.. Ripley wh0, as everyone knows,