Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-12-05

were from accessory works These re-
suits were achieved in the rainy sea-
son with rainfall in August of IL SO
inches and in September of 1855 inches.
! Finally, in October, the record was
| again eclipsed. the total excavation be-
ing 1.S6S.729 cubic yards: a truly ex-
traordinary record. especially in view
| or the heavy rainfall which was III
inches. In fact. experience during the
| last two rainy seasons demonstrates
| that the rains are a less serious OBJ
stacle to progress than has hitherto
been supposed.
Work on the locks and dams at
Gatun, which began actively in March
last has advanced so far that II is
thought that masonry work on the
locks can be begun within 10 months
Last winter bids were requested and
| received for doing the work of canal
| construction by contract. None of them
was found to be satisfactory and all
were rejected. 1t is the unanimous
opinion of the present commission that
the work can be done better more
| cheaply, and more quickly by the gov
eminent than by private contractors.
Fully so per cent of the entire plant
needed for construction has been pur-
chased or contracted for; machine
for making all needed repairs to the
plant; many thousands of employees
have been secured: an effective organi-
cation has been perfected; a recruiting
system is in operation which is capable
of furnishing more labor than can be
used adyantageously; employees are
we'll sheltered and well fed salaries
paid are satisfactory, and the work is
not only going forward smoothly but
II is producing results far in advance
OF the most sanguine anticipa tons.
Under these favorable onditions, a
change in the method of prosecuting
the work would be unwise and unjusti-
fable, for IL would inevitably disorgan-
ize existing conditions, check progress,
and increase the cost and lengthen the
time of completing the canal.
President Recommends
Postal Savings Banks.
Il commend to the favorable consid-
Grafton of the congress a postal saw
lngs bank system. as recommended by
the postmaster general. The primary
object is to encourage among our peo-
pie economy and thrift and by the use
of postal savings banks to give them
an opportunity to husband their re-
sources. particularly those who have
not the facilities at hand for depositing
their money in savings banks. Viewed,
however, from the experience of the
past few weeks, ii is evident that the
advantages of such an institution are
still more far reaching. Timid depos-
itors have Withdrawn their savings for
the time being from national banks; in
dividuals have boarded their cash and
the workingmen their earnings; all
OF which money has been withdrawn
and kept in hiding or in the safe de-
posit box to the detriment of pros
perity. Through the agency of the pos
tai savings banks such money would be
restored to the channels of trade, to
the mutual benefit of capital and labor.
Il further commend to the congress
the consideration of the postmaster
generals recommendation for an ex-
tension OF the parcel post, especially on
the rural routes. There are now 49,
Zl5 rural routes, serving nearly 10000
600 people who do not have the adj
vantages of the Inhabitants of cities in
obtaining their supplies. These recon-
mendations have been drawn up to
benefit the farmer and the country
storekeeper; otherwise, 1 should not
favor them. for l believe that 1t is good
policy for our government to do every
thing possible to aid the small town
and the country district 1t is desirable
that the country merchant should not
be crushed out.
The fourth-class postmasters' con-
vention has passed very strong reso-
luton in favor OF placing the fourth
class postmasters under the civil-serv-
ice law. The administration has al
ready put into effect the policy of re-
fusing to remove any fourth-class post
masters save for reasons connected
with the good of the service; and it is
endeavoring so far as possible to re-
move them from the domain of partisan
politics. 1t would be a most desirable
thing to put the fourth-class postmaS-
tiers in the classified service"
He renews his recommendations of
last year in regard to Alaska; calls at
tention to the admission of Oklahoma
as state; urges the Importance of pro-
viding shipping relief for Hawaii; asks
for citizenship for Porto Ricans. and
promises submission Of Secretary
Tafts report on Philippines when that
official returns.
He asks for the creation of a bureau
or mines; recommends the providing of
funds for preserving The Hermitage,
the home of Andrew Jackson; and the
erection of naval monument at
Vicksburg.
Corporation Contributions
to COmpaign Expenses.
Under our form of government voting
is not merely right but a duty and,
moreover, a fundamental and necessary
duty If a man is to be a good citizen
1t is well to provide that corporations
shall not contribute to presidential or
national campaigns, and Furthermore to
provide for the publication of both con-
tributions and expenditures. There is,
however, always danger in laws of this
kind, which from their very nature are
difficult of enforcement; the danger being
lest they be obeyed only by the honest,
and disobeyed by the unscrupulous so
as to act only as penalty upon honest
men. Moreover, no such law would ham,
per an unscrupulous man of unlimited
means from buying his own way into of
flee. There is very radical measure
which would, / believe, work a substan-
tial Improvement in our system of con-
Quoting a campaign, although / am well
aware that II Will take some time for
people to so familiarize themselves with
such a proposal as to be willing to con-
slider its adoption. The need for collect
ing large campaign funds would vanish IL
congress provided an appropriation for
the proper and legitimate expenses of
each of the great national parties. an APP
preparation ample enough to meet the
necessity for thorough organization and
machinery, which requires a large ex-
penditure of money. Then the stipula-
ton should be made that no party re-
ceiving campaign funds from the treasury
should accept more than a fixed amount
from any Individual subscriber or donor;
and the necessary publicity for receipts
and expenditures could without difficulty
be provided"
Wants Improvement I'm the
Ocean Mnll Service.
81 cali your especial attention to the, I'M
satisfactory condition of our foreign mail
| service. which, because of the lack of
American steamship lines, is now largely
done through foreign lines, and which.
| particularly so far as South and Central
America are concerned, is done in a man
| ner which constitutes a serious barrier
to the extensions of our commerce
The time has come. in my Judgment.
| to set to work seriously to make our
ocean mail service correspond more
| closely with our recent commercial and
I, political development. beginning was