Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-10-05

for none have had a more vital ques-
ton 10 consider.
There is q great national project
already under way which renders the
Improvement of the Mississippi river
and its tributaries specially ~needful, 1
mean the Panama canal, The digging
Of that canal will be of benefit to the
whole country. but most of al 10 the
states Of The Pacific slope and the
gulf. and il the Mississippi is properly
improved. to the states through
which it flows. The digging Of the
Panama canal Is the greatest engin-
eering feat which has vet been at
tempted on this globe. The work has
been going on most successfully and
with fewer draw backs and difficulties
than / had dared hope. When under
our treaty with Panama we ook pos
session Of the canal zan J was conf
dent that we should be able TO build
the canal. but / took ii for granted
that We should meet many unexpected
difficulties, not only Ia the actual
work, but through. and because OF.
the diseases which had made the
lsthmus a byword OF uuhealthfulness.
The work done in making the condi-
lions on the lsthmus healthy. how
ever. has been SO successful that at
present the death rate among the
thousands Of Americans engaged in
the canal work is lower than in most
localities in the United states. The
organization has been perfected. the
machinery installed and the actual
work, Of the dredges, the steam shov-
els, ANA the dirt trains, is going on
with constantly increasing rapidity
ana effectiveness. In the month of
August over twelve hundred thousand
cubic yards of material were removed. |
chiefly from the Culebra cut-the |
record removal-and if this rate can
be kept up, as / believe n will be
kept up. the work OF digging will be
through in half a dozen years. The
finishing Of the locks Of the great
dam may take a little longer; but il
begins to look as though the work
VIII be completed even sooner than
we had estimated.
Remember, gentlemen, that any
work like this entails grave RESPONSE
bllities. The one intolerable position
a self-respecting nation. as for a
self-respecting man. is to bluff and
not be able to make good. We
accepted the Monroe doctrine as
q cardinal feature OF our foreign poll
We have undertaken not only to
ouild. but TO police ana TO guard the
Panama canal. This means. unless
are willing 20 accept the humilia-
ion of being treated some time By
strong nation as q vain and
weak |braggart, that we must build
maintain our navy az the highest
)oint of efficiency. When the canal
$ finished n navy can move from
ocean TO the other al Will. for.
.emember that u doors open on Z
10Th oceans. Until then our battle ,
leet, which should always be kept
md m%aneuvered AS a unit, ought now I
% appear in u home waters !
d one ocean and now to an {
'ear i'm our howe waters in the Z
And, oh. my friends and fell l
)w Americans. ! most earnestly hope G
II our people Will remember that in !
he fundamental questions most deep q
affecting the life of the nation G
lere can be no proper division on q
arty lines. Matters Of such grave I
lOmcnt should be dealt with along q
lines of consistent and well &
lought-out policy. without regard to y
change Of administration or Of G
1rty 40 Washington. Such questions I
s tho u~phuilding and maintenance of Il
le United states navy, the compile n
OF the Panama canal I'm accord j
nee with the plans ROW being car X
ed out. and the Improvement of the b
lssisslupt river, are NOT party ques- y
Dns am striving to accomplish "a
hat I can IN such matters as these ~
acause the welfare of the ua@1u inn g
demands the action that {,
. taking. 1T IS action I'm the interest Il
I. an the people. and the need for ID n
be as great long after / have u
out Of public life as it IS now. b
q these great points that I have q
entioncd, as on others I could men ca
from the standpoint Of the ma s.
,u the policy is everything. while II c'
Of little Importance who carries II q
ID $50 long as il actually is carried jr
e.. Therefore, 1 hope you VIII see er