The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-01-23
PRESIDENT SENDS THREE
MESSAGES TO CONGRESS
Panama Canal, Navy Personnel
and Land Law Discussed.
WHAT he SAW ON ISTHMUS
May Complete Work in Eight Years
will Try Chinese Labor-Con-
ditions Excellent-Promotion in
the Navy. .

the Navy.
Washington, D. C.-Three special
messages-on Panama, Naval Per-
sonnet and the Public Land Laws
were forwarded to Congress by Pres
ident Roosevelt.
The Panama message was by far
the most important. The striking
feature of it is the Presidents en-
phatic decision to employ Chinese la
Dor in digging the canal. He en-
phatically commits the United States
to coolie labor in these words:
From present appearances we
shall, in the main, have to rely for
the ordinary unskilled work partly
upon colored laborers from the West
Indies. partly upon Chinese labor"
Divided into topics. the President
entered into these discussions: The
visit of the President to Panama, IT,
ESQ words: advocacy of the passage
of the Naval Personnel bill, 1000
words; advocacy of amendments to
the Public Land laws, 1900 words.
Mr.. RooSevelt'S message on his
visit to Panama proved an entertain
ing narrative, detailing the personal
experiences and observations of Mr..
Roosevelt during his Investigation Of
the work in the canal zone. 1t con-
tains twenty-siz photographs of work
on the canal taken while the Presi-
don't MOS IN tho ororn1 IF hroofhoc
a strong spirit of optimism regarding
the ability of the United States to
complete "this giant feat of the
ages" The President is particularly
severe on those Americans who have
criticised the work at Panama with
out Just grounds, and says:
81 feel for them the heartiest IN
tempt and Indignation, because in a
spirit of wanton dishonesty and NAL
ice they are trying to interfere with
and hamper the execution of the
greatest work of the kind v e at
tempted and are seeking to bring to
naught the efforts of their country
men to put the credit of America n
of the giant feats of the age"
President Roosevelt makes these
recommendations and announce
ments:
A seven headed commission is a
clumsy affair, and there should be
one Commissioner, with heads Of de-
partments under him.
Employment Of the best engineers
In the country as consulting engi-
neers should be expressly permitted.
DR.. Gorgas is to be made a member
of the commission if the law as to its
composition remains unchanged.
The President thinks Panama
Canal will be completed in eight
years.
Says it is no concern of American
workingmen whether alien black mel
Or alien yellow men dig canal.
Says Jamaica negroes are poor
"diggers," and he will try Chinese
labor as experiment. r .
Canal work will be let out n con-
tracts by Government. i'll
Asserts there is no evidence Of
frauds OF irregularities. -
Mr.. Roosevelt's message on the
naval personnel is a strong argument
In favor of immediate consideration
of the bill prepared by the board con-
vened by the Secretary Of the Navy.
He urges legislation that will
cause officers of the line to reach
the grades of captain and rear-ad-
miral at less advanced ages and will
give them more experiences and
training in the important duties of
those grades.
The President is convinced that
unless something is done to rectify,
nv s,,I;o;oro 1ario1otior the nonHi-
ton Of the higher personnel the fu-
ture of the navy will be gravely COM
promised.
In dealing with the question of
public lands President Roosevelt
makes several recommendations. He
tells Congress grave wrongs are COM
mitted under the Timber and Stone
act, that the Homestead act is being
violated and that public lands con-
tanning timber and minerals are more
rapidly than I'VE getting into the
hands of corporations and monopo-
lists.
He suggests that the leasing of
grazing lands be placed in the hands
Of the Department of Agriculture.
Mr.. Roosevelt also informs Con-
SlSoS IudI IuO lOlCS lCSCl FCS VI IuO
country are worth one billion dollars,
and the stumpage value Of the tim
Der alone is worth $500, $1,000. The
forest service will soon be self-sup-
porting through the sale Of timber
scientifically cut, and he recommends
that the Secretary of the Treasury
have power to advance 100000
on bonds secured by the forest re-
serves, to bear interest and be paid
back beginning in ten years.