Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-29
ARMY ENGINEERS DIG CANAL.
Latest Chapter In Uncle Sans Long
and Lively Serial Story, "Panama."

and Lively Serial Story, "Panama."
Unless the chief typewriter should
resign before this goes to press, thus
necessitating readjustment, the
probability Is that United States army
engineers will superintend the con-
struction of the Panama canal, with
Lieut. Col. Geo. Washington Goethals as
chief engineer. Isthmian canal history
for the past three centuries has shown
that designations and readjustments
are always in order, and the recent
history of the specific Panama project
indicates that the natural course Of
government appointees to high place
in the canal work is ratification, glor-
ification Indignation, resignation. The
senate ratifles, the press glorifies, the
appointee finds himself disgusted with
his local habitation and indignant at
official supervision, and then comes
his resignation.
Uncle Sam has capacious mouth
and strong grinding molars. He Is
not inclined to admit that he ever
bites off more than he can chew. He
has undertaken to bite ditch across
the backbone and spare ribs Of the
isthmus of Panama. He is going to
bite 1t, too II 1t takes a century, and
chew up all the gristle. That's the
American bulldog grip.
It seems reasonable to assume that
at last the canal project has been
brought down to a practical working
basis. In the past few weeks events
have trodden on each others heels.
The whole Panama situation has
changed. Here and there crops out a
hint as to why the change has come
about, but for the most part the story
is a sealed book. 1t may be opened
later, and IL so It will make mighty
intere stin' readin'." That there Is an
African in the woodpile Is strongly in
dicated by the remarkable succession
Of events. In some quarters the be-
lief is strong that certain powerful per-
sons-grown powerful through the ex-
ercise Of special privileges heretofore
have been seeking Systematically to
manipulate the Panama business so
that they can carve 1t up as a luscious
melon and divide 1t among themselves.
Irrespective Of political affiliations
the American people in general have
confidence in the ability Of President
Roosevelt, upon whom the final re-
sponsibility developes, to prevent this
large job Of melon slicing-if such a
things Is contemplated. To return to
plain language, the direct insinuation
York capitalists have cherished fond
hopes Of profiting to the extent of
many millions by furnishing the sup
plies necessary, or presumably neces-
Now that the administration has re-
jected all bids for the contract and
has designated Colonel Goethals and
other army engineers to do the work
it is not unreasonable to assume that
any such deal has been rendered ey-
tremely difficult.
About two years ago John F. Wal
lace, a distinguished railroad engineer,
was appointed to the post of chief en-
gineer for the Panama canal. The
president and the people believed that
the right man had been put in the
right place. But after a few months
MI Wallace turned in his resignation.
Resignation No. I.
The Interborough railway combina-
ton, which controls the surface, ele-
waited and underground street car
lines in New York city, had offered
him q larger salary than he was re-
ceiving for the canal job. He accept
ed the New York job. Secretary Taft's
interview with Mr.. Wallace in regard
to his resignation Is historic. The big
secretary. figuratively, jumped on the
engineer with both feet. Mr.. Wal
lace was told that he had violated a
trust, that he had deserted his coun-
trys work at a critical moment, and
that for mere lucre he had given up
his opportunity to go down to posteri-
ty as the digger Of the big ditch. The
presidents indignation was Of a
warmth akin to that Of Secretary Taft
though he let the war secretary do
most Of the frothing.
Mr.. Wallace Is said to have given as
his real reason for quitting the laconic
three word explanation:
TOO much interference"
Then John F. Stevens, another emil
nent railroad engineer, was induced to
tackle the Panama proposition. He
was to receive a salary somewhat In
excess of that paid to Mr. Wallace.
Mr.. Stevens went down to the canal
zone amid the fanfare Of public ap-
proval as the right man in the right
place at last. He 1t was who would
pass along to posterity as the man
who bit the backbone out Of Panama
Once more the president and the peo-
pie breathed with relief. The dirt
which Mr.. Wallace had marked out
DePdn 10 Hy ulueT NIL SlSNSiio SiioN
els.
A new chairman for the canal COM
mission, a safely strenuous person
who had been in the business Of build
ing railroads in the middle west, was
proposed to the president by Paul
Morton, then secretary Of the navy.
What are his qualifications" Pres
ident Roosevelt Is said to have inquir-
ed.
well, for one thing" replied Mr.
Morton: his name is Theodore"
Theodore Perry Shonts was investi-
gated and found to be a man Of parts
Everybody, with the president, believ-
ed him to be just the man for the
place. With Shonts as chairman and
Stevens as chief engineer that ditch
was sure to be dug. They would make
the dirt fly like chaff from the tail end
of a thrasher, and Uncle Sam was al
most ready to begin taking toll for the
passage Of ships from Colon to Pana-
ma and vice versa. We could almost
hear the mingled brines Of the Pacific
and the Atlantic swishing through the