Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-23
STEVENS IN BAD Light
New Head of Panama Canal
Says Former Chief Exagger-
ated Figures
HAS WORK BEEN BuNeLEsoME7
Goethals Says Much Dirt Will Have
to Be Moved Second Time-charses
of Mistakes Denied-Isthmus in Fine
shape-Week's Sensation at the Ma
tons Capital.

. Washington. April 23-Serious re-
Elections have been cast by Mai. George
w. Goethals, the chief engineer of tn.
Panama canal upon the work done by
his predecessor, John f. Stevens.
Major Goethals charges in an official
communication to the war department
that the reports made by former Chief
Engineer Stevens. regarding the large
amount of dirt excavated from the
Panama canal are not accurate, and are
not in accordance with the facts.
Former Chief Engineer Stevens re-
ported officially to the war department
that he had excavated in the month OF
January 566,750 cubic yards, in Feb
ruary 63s,644 cubic yards. and in
March s15.270 cubic yards. He esti-
mated that in April 100000 cubic
yards would be excavated.
Mai Goethals declares that instead
of these figures representing the work
actually done, they are based on the
estimates of the capacity of the steam
shovels and how much work they
should perform each month. These
figures did not cover the days when
repaired.
H These estimates, says Major Goe-
thals, were made on loose earth after
1t was excavated, and the measure
ments were not accurate. He also for
warded to the war department a pro-
file survey which, he says, demon-
strates the fact that much of the dirt
that has been excavated has been
dumped in wrong places and will have
to be removed again, the purpose hav-
ing apparently been to push the exca-
lvators to their limit SO as to make a
record regardless of effectiveness of
the work. Major Goethals concludes
with strong recommendation that the
work of excayating the canal should be
let out to contract.
When it was first announced that the
government intended to put the Pana :
ma canal work in charge Of the army
engineers and the reports began COM
Ing from Mr. Stevens Of the large guam
titles OF excavation work that he was
doing, several of the army engineers
expressed the opinion that Mr. Stevens
was endeavoring to make record that
would be embarrassing to the mem
bers of their corps that We're to sue
coed him in charge of the work
4 Army officers did not place much
credence in the reports of Chief Engin-
eer Stevens OF the large amount Of dirt
that was being excavated, and they
feared that roseate reports would be
compared with the future achievements
of the army engineers to the detriment
| of the military men. Maj Goethals
does not expect to excavate 1000, 900
I,cubic yards of dirt for some months to
come, but he does expect to make GOOD
progress in the work.
Wheni questioned regarding the
charges made by Maj. Goethals, Mr..
Stevens said he was certain that his
successor did not make the statements
attributed to him. There are MANY
reasons why he does not believe the
statements. the main one being that it
as impossible to make the mistake
charged. Mr.. Stevens said that the es-
I Inmates on the excavation were simply
matter of figuring the cross-section-
ing, which process was infallible Mr..
Stevens said he had left things Sin fine
shape on the isthmus."
II set Jan. 1. 1915, as the latest date
for the completion Of the canal. That
is just about two years longer than it
will take" added Mr. Stevens. II
should say that 1t will be done in be-
4 s,iy n 81
Those who have been looking for a
fresh sensation can rest quite satisfied.
They have it in the proposition the
president has advanced to cut off all
election contributions and have the
legitimate election expenses of all par
ties paid by the national government.
This might raise wall from the anti
paternalists, for it would be paternal-
ism of a sort, in fact of the most pro-
nounced sort. But it would be fair to
all parties and it ought to result in
freeing elections from the faint and
suspicion of money illegitimately used.
The plan has not yet been put forth
officially, but it has been talked over
at the White House and the president
is understood to be decidedly in favor
of it. So far as the details have been
worked out, it is that the several par
ties should be apportioned funds for
legitimate election expenses in pro-
portion to the vote that they polled
at the last preceding similar election.
This would keep the government dis
bursement from being all in the hands
Of the two big parties. The funds
would be as carefully audited as any
of the other disbursements of the gov
eminent, and not only would the peo-
pie know where each dollar Of the
money had gone, but they would see to
it that election expenses were kept
down within something like reasonable
limits. It would settle the question
Of corporate campaign contribution,
would relieve the corporations from
being %held UP" by enterprising cam
paign solicitors, and would assure all
candidates of sufficient funds to meet
their legitimate outlay.
1t is just the sort of an unpleasant
proposal for the president to make,
one that the machine politicians on
neither side will relish, and yet one
that nobody could honestly and reas-
onably oppose. It would make the