New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-02
PERSEVERANCE OF THE FAKERs.

The prompt emphatic and entirely unequivo-
cal message from Colonel Cocktails replying TO
and repudiatng recent tales about diSSatisfac-
ton and decentralization at Panama ought to
dispose conclusively of such tales and dscour-
age their authors from putting forth any more
OF them, even in the silly season. Nothing could
be more explicit or more gratifying than the
message sent by the man who is now the
active head of the canal construction work.
The reports of his dissatisfaction and desire
to withdraw are declared to be entirely false,
and we are assured that everything is going
well and tremendously. This assurance from an
American army officer of the best standing
must be nheSltatingly accepted as the truth.
We may add that it accords with the best in
formation hitherto Obtainable-the best, but
not always the most blatantly exploited.
Yet we fear that even this will not put an end
to idle or malicious tales about the canal enter
prise. The old doctrine of the perseverance, of
the saints is far surpassed by the perseverance
of the takers, not at, but about Panama. 1t is
to he doubted if there is any other subject OF
anything like comparable interest concerning
which many fabrications have been put forth
in the last five years. Again and again these
reckless scribbIers and lampooners have been
exposed, denounced and put into the pillory,
even ny the Secretary of War and the President
himself: but again and again they bob up
renely" with new inventions. Perhaps we must
be resigned TO them rs an inevitable evil Vel
low fever have got rid of, malaria has been
greatly diminished, and other plaques Of the
isthmus are being subdued. But these peStfeT
Gus insects, by keeping we'll out of reach of
Colonel GorgGs and his sanitary squad. manage
To escape suppression and maintain their ma
lignant huzzinG. Well perhaps it Is best to
have il SO, instead of having their taking spread
indscrminately over other topics If a plague
cannot be suppressed it helps the situation
little to segrcgate it.
But it is Il miserable spectacle this continual
nagging AT the canal administration and seeking
to put obstacles in the way of the greatest pub
lie work the nation has ever undertaken. 1t
might have been thought by some huoyant op-
timist. that fractional and personal anlmostleS
would be sunk in the presence of so great an
enterprise and that by common consent the
aid to the utmost extent the doing of a work
with which the nations credit and welfare were
50 closely bound up. But such optimism would
have been far too buoyant. The melancholy fact
is that because of petty desire TO gain some
little fractional advantage, to cause some iupor-
tant official Of the government some embarraSs-
mcnt, or to wreak some contemplate personal
spite upon somebody, men are small enough TO
libel their own government before the world
and to try To create false impressions of an
undertaking which should he one Of the chief
material glories Of the nation. Happily, the
nation and the world are getting TO understand
the game of the Panama takers, and the fakes
which they put forth are likely 10 be as futile
as they are false.