New-York tribune., 1907-11-27

cure improved health conditions. nor IS any pro,
vision made for the re-equipment OF the Panama
Railroad.
In comparing government with contract labor,
both as to cost and efficiency. when constructive
work of special character is TO be done. Colonel
Goethals says:
Tss g Is b no n6 sSSn States that o4R X hs eon2aeed b
cause il can be done cheaper by. that method
than other This genefaly due to the fact
plant which can be more chesply hired than pur-
ram the Mature Of If se w6Tk or its
tion, the contractor must purchase machinery and
be pPacticaIiy useless on the completion OF the
can % make Ir Tse Of the the s to m
petion the advantages OF the contract system as
GOVERNMENT WORK CHEAPER
Omitting profits derived from subsistence and
general stores. end assuming the hours OF LABOR r
the IN both sandS to to tfa t
necessary outlay for plant, can do work cheaper
teTs ta5' into eo consideration on ~
1t is claimed that contractors have under their
control and at their disposal trained labor forces
and that by combination of such forces, through
suit. thereby accomplishing the desired end more
organization on one piece OF work for transfer
dis6aPding Of The the force and % s5oGg6 new work
ganzation must in each case be perfected
The Panama Canal presents a piece Of work un-
under conditions entirely different from, similar
4auaS 9f dTdes T2Fe u se Sf to drsdgn dry
walton. the construction Of the locks and dams
and the construction Of the new Panama Railroad.
There is no contractor or syndicate or contrac-
tors that by any combination could bring 10 the
isthnus organization ready for team work on
any of these units. While II is possible for
eral contractors to combine forces assuming that
a sufficient number Of men can be got together
in that way. there stil remains the necessity for
whipping this force into shape In order 10 secure
organization that will produce the team work
so advantageous in the accomplishment of results.
In any case the knowledge of the specialist in
the particular work that is 70 be done IS the Gle
ment that will accomplish the most satisfactory
dam construction are concerned, the goveInments
experience has been, if not greater. at least as
extensive as that Of any contractor or associa-
ton Of contractors that can be secured IN the
United States With these units of the work the
governments acquaintance is equally extensive,
and experienced men can be drawn from the en-
Ginering force of the government. These three
classes of work form the most important parts of
the Panama Canal. and In their prosecution the
government has the advantage. So far relates
to excavation in the dry by steam shovel and
cars the advantage ordinarily would be with the
maintained organization the isthmus that
cannot be surpassed by any contractor, and, 1t is
short a time as under the circumstances. could
have been done by any association of contractors.
BUSINESS METHODS APPLIED
Work heretofore has been conducted on a nom
partisan basis The thinking class of American
people fully realize the necessity for the Panama
realized that this be accomplished only by
the application Of business and non partisan meth
fixed the wage scale. and contractor would be
unable TO retain labor that might be turned over
less salary than already paid by the commission.
The government is now working foreign labor
many hours day is practicable in this
than the government has already acquired So far
American labor is concerned the eight-hour law
is applicable. and so long as 1T remains in force