The Washington herald., 1907-02-28
Now. Let,s Dig the Canal.

Just why the responsibility for the con-
struction of the Panama Canal was not
at the inception of that stupendous enter
prise placed on the Engineer Corps of the
army is one of the unsolved questions
connected with the more or less involved
history of the undertaking which one in
telligent American citizen is as capable
as another Of answering to his own sat
isfaction. Now that the President has cut
the Gordian knot We look for nothing but
praise of him for 1t. Mr.. Roosevelts
countrymen do not question his motives,
however inclined at times they may be 20
criticise his methods. Apparently the
President became thoroughly tired Of the
quarrels and chickering's among cliques and
cabals of special interests of various
kinds that insisted upon participating TO
their own proht in the gigantic work. and
concluded to ignore completely and finally
the assumptions of any and all of them
that they We're privileged TO share either
in the glory or the financial rewards at
stake.
The Engineer Corps of the army can be
trusted to do efficient and honest work.
There is no more highly trained corps of
engineers in the world than that Of our
army Its members have been educated
by the government to serve the nation
faithfully and honOrably. IT, therefore.
the Engineer Corps is to be permitted to
proceed with the work assigned it by the
President without let or hindrance. the
country can confidently expect earlier and
more satisfactory results on the Isthmus
Of Panama than could have been reason
ably looked for had the work Of admin
istrati0n and construction been doled out
To private individuals whose chief purpose
was pecuniary gain. In the end the ac-
tual detailed work may be done by con
tract, but it viii be so carefully super
vised that the chance Of graft and loot
will be reduced 10 the minimum. Few
scandals have tainted the history Of great
engineering work done by the United
States army With the exception OF the
malod0Tous Carter affair at Savannah we
do not recall a single instance where there
was cause to doubt the efficiency or the
honor Of any army engineer TO whom has
been intrusted work of national impor-
lance.
Here in Washington the Congressional
Library. the Washington Monument. and
the conduit from Great Falls are fine ex-
amples OF engineering skill and admins
tration; while the splendid work done in
connection with the improvement OF
rivers and harbors throughout the coun-
try affords equally convincing testimony.
Literally, millions Of dollars have been ex-
pended under the direction Of the Engineer
Corps, and the honesty Of the expenditure
has not been questioned. It goes without
saying that of the millions which will be
spent upon the isthmus not one penny viii
cling 10 corrupt hands The work will BE-.
done with the highest regard for public
interest, and the government and the peo-
pie Will receive fun return for every dollar
invested.
IN brief. the fact that the Engineer
Corps is to superintend the construction
of the canal is a safeguard against graft
and questionable jobs and extravagant
expenditure. With the work in such ex-
cellent hands, the people will experience a
feeling of relief and viii patiently wait
for the conclusion Of the great enterprise
We congratulate the President upon his
action. and we believe that all citizens
whose interest in the Panama Canal is
strictly national, impersonaI and unseIfsh
will ind0rse the statement that il is re-
grettable that Mr.. Roosevelt postponed
for so long a time the decision which he
has finally and unalterably adopted Now
lets dig the canal, and have done with all
folderol and experimentation.