The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-15
CANAL SEEMS
IN GOOD SHAPE
Favorable Reports From the
lSthmus---COst Will 0utrun
the Estimates.
CMau Special to the Advertiser,

t1- LAEAT IMAM II W aSGllnston, Dut good
reports keep coming 10 the top Of the
Mills building, where the local Offices
of the Commission ara installed. and
therefore everybody feels good. The
Canal Commissioners are now all on
the isthmus and have been there for
a long time, trying TO give the govern
ment a quid pro quo for the $4,000 a
year that most Of them receive.
1t is all very gratifying TO the canal
authorities here, chief Of whom is the
Secretary of the Commission, Mr..
Joseph BuckIin Bishop. who is Presi-
dent Roosevelt's personal friend, 10
talk about the excellent results attain
ed by putting army engineers, rather
than ciyn engineers in charge, but
there is one special cause for gratifi-
cation That is the administration of
ex-senator Joseph Clay Stiles Black
burn. OF Kentucky. as governor Of the
canal zone. He has been a thowting
success so the canal officials say, not
withstanding the fact that his appoint
ment made many Kentucky Republi-
cans madden than their powers OF
speech could describe. 1t is simply
awful exclaimed former Internal Rev
enue Commissioner John W. Yerkes,
the leading Republican Of the blue glass
state, Ito have to endure this. You
know il means something 70 have been
a Republican in Kentucky. But to
come to this! Joe Blackburn for gov
ernor of the canal zone. And al $14,-
coo a year. Why in private life he
would not be worth S14~
Probably Mr. Yerkes would have re-
vised that estimate Of ex-senator
Blackburn. after his political wrath
had subslded. out whether he would or
not the Isthmian Canal Commission
reports that Blackburn is mighty pop
ular. He always was long on talking
and his speeches down on the isthmus
are delivered with great frequency
Every time q recreation hall is opened,
they send for Blackburn and he gives
his hearers a dose of Kentucky elo-
quence. He has a level head and
while he may not govern the canal
zone with signal ability is doing II
well and TO the general satisfaction
Of the population
The old rivalry between army engi-
neers and civil engineers has not dis.
appeared among the representatives Of
those two branches on the isthmus. but
Il is not causing the government any
great annoyance. Col. Goethals, so the
government officials say. is big enough
for his job and there is no worry on
the part Of President Roosevelt, that
Goethals viii throw up his hands some
day and announce that he is coming
home TO the states As an army officer
GoeIhals win have 10 stay on the 18th
NUS til he Is ordered away unless he
resigns his commission, which he is
not likely 10 do He is TO have vaca-
ton Of three months annually, but
there are three other engineers there
two. Majors GaiIlard and Sibert. Of
the army, and Admiral ROsseau, Of
the Navy-any one of whom the Pres
ideut thinks Is capable Of taking up
the work just where Col Goethals
might leave Il
These engineers are in command of
an army Of $4,000 aborers, who are
receiving a big daily sum TO make the
dirt fIy. Il is really an effective force
Of 50. 010 for the JamaiCals are lazy
and viii not all work ali the time
These negroes observe strictly the
ScripturaI injunction Of taking no
thought for the morrow, with the re-
suit that many Of them insist on leaf
ing when they get a little money.
The government IS now receiving re-
cruits Of from 500 10 1000 a month from
Europe for its army Of spade-wielders.
They are coming by every ship from
GaIiCia II Northern Spain. from Italy
and from Greece. For political reasons
the government sincerely hopes that
these recruits from Europe win con-
tinue. as the European Iabcrers alone
are now saving the administration
from the necessity Of employing ORR
entail labor. The very suggestion that
Chinese be employed has more than
once convinced the President and party
leaders that such action would be IN
wise. For the opposition forces, espe-
ziaIly the Hearst organs, have bounced
upon Il as a good issue and il has
been demonstrated that the laboring
masses were responsive TO the agiIa~
ton. Therefore the Canal Commission
: encouraging all the European i'm
possible. Ten Per cent Of
these CzaIlegos, Italians. and Greeks
depart for Peru and chile. after they
have landed Oh the isthmus, which Is
annoying to the government. but il Is
that the demand in South
Ar1erica for laborers viii eventually be /
supplied and then most Of them VIII /
stay on the isthuUs.
There Is much zrEmblins II Europe
q bout the migration Of these pick and
shovel handlers. II Is giving the Canal
authorities some uneasiness- But there .
7axe been no formal complaints yet
The Spaniards do not want their Ia
,o-e-s 10 20 away in such large num-
,ers and the Italian officials are TAX
nr . similar attitude Nothing has
re- been heard from Greece It Is the
same attitude that Spain and Italy
took with reference 10 The migration
some months ago Of several shiploaas
~ laborers and their families to Ha-
vail.
Since the threatened strike Of the
steam shovel men. the labor conditions
m tia fsthrlus have been nearly ideal,
- .+=-7-1S -z-.a-- n Wash rE1OU.