The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-22
The situation in the Canal Zone.


Mai Cocktails reported grave criticism
of his predecessor in charge Of the work
on the Panama Canal, former Chief En-
gineer Stevens, would seem 20 entltIe the
American public to some further and ac-
curate information concerning the condi-
tons prevailing IN the Canal Zone
Especially does this appear to be the case
when the statements said 10 have been
submitted to the War Department by the
army engineer now directing the con-
struction of the waterway are considered
in connection with certain other develop
ments Of the recent past
For example, Representative BurIeson,
of Texas, returned from q trip 10 Panama
two or three weeks ago and in an inter
view given The Washington Herald ex-
pressed the opinion that the general sit
uatiOn on the isthmus was far from ideal.
that ten more years probably would be
needed TO complete the canal; that the
cost would be enormously larger than the
original estimates, and that there was
reason 10 believe that eventually it
would be found necessary to abandon the
present plans which contemplate a system
of locks. the key of which is to be the
proposed gigantic dam al Gatun. A little
later Representative Mccall, Of Massa-
chusetts. contributed an article TO a Well
known weekly. in which he did not dis
play any marked enthusiasm regarding
the progress of the work and IN which
appeared the statement that the abandon
ment of the Gatun dam plans was not uu-
likely. About the same time. Representa-
tive Rainey. of Illinois, was quoted as de-
claring that graft existed in the commits
sary department In the Zone, and that
the rations served the laborers by that
department lacked much Of being what
they should be
Mr.. Rainey and Mr.. Burleson are Demo
Gratis. but it probably would be unjust to
them to say that partisanship had any
thing to do with their assertions. Ger
tainly no such charge could be made in
the case of Mr.. Mccall. who is Repub-
lican, albeit one who is guided by his con-
victiOns and his conscience rather than by
the crack Of the party whip True. all the
other legislators who toured the zone
about the same time brought home glow
ing pictures Of what they saw and. with
out exception, predicted the early and sat
isfactory completion OF the project.
But the fact remains that such opinions
as those expressed by Messrs Burlesou,
Mccall, and Rainey. coupled with the re-
ports which Maj. Goethals Is said to have
submitted 10 his superiors. are having the
inevitable effect Of causing at least a
part Of the public TO wonder if all is really
we'll with the canal Only a day or Two
ago the newspapers printed interviews
with Mr.. Stevens, in which he was rep
resented as being most optimistic con-
corning all details Of the work II. how
ever. the published stories relating TO
Mai Cocktails reports are accurate, some
degree Of discredit at once attaches to
anything his predecessor may say. Maj
Goethals is an army engineer, and is not
susceptible, presumably, to political and
other influences which might bias civil
ians
Whatever else may be doubtful, it is
certain that the public has a right TO
know the exact truth in the premises
We venture to express the hope that the
proper authorities will at once take steps
toward bringing out that truth and Civ
ing the country the benefit Of it.