The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-01-02
MATTERS POLITICAL
FROM WASHINGTON.
PROGRESS OF PANAMA CAEAL-POLl-
TICS SETTLING In WASHINGTON
-.-CORTELYOU'S BOON
COLLAPSED.

nor of Panama, is in Washington on
leave and brings back Il radiant
account of the progress being made
on the Is.hml 8. "Col. Goethals,
the Chief Engineer and the CHalr-
man of the Isthmian Canal COM
mission, is making wonderful prog
ress with the construction of the
Canal" said Senator Blackburn to-
day. cit is perfectly amazing the
rate at which they are digging the
big ditch and the satisfaction and
contentment of everyone connected
with the work. Colonel Goethals
is an ideal man to have charge of a
big project. He is always perfectly
cool and in absolute command Of
the situation. Secretary Taft Is a
most satisfactory man to have gene
raj supervision of the work. He
has the capacity of selecting the
best men and then allowing them a
free hand to push the project. His
trips to the Isthmus have done good.
for Big Bill has smile that won't
come of and his handshake is an
inspiration to every man on the job.
Asked how living on the Canal
Zone compared with living in Ken
tucky the Senator said that apart
from the friends he had to leave be-
hind, life on the Isthmus was de-
cidedly pleasant,a "a delightful climate,
q pleasant circle OF people and the
satisfaction of knowing that tne Is
connected with one of the greatest
Undertakings of the age, and an
enterprise which is going to benefit
the Southern States incalculably."
Politics is seething in Washing
ton just now, but it is chiefly Re-
publican politics. -Four years ago
there was no certainty whatever as
to who was going to be the Demo
cratic candidate, while the Republi-
can selection was all cut and dried.
Now the situation is entirely revers-
cd. Mr. Bryan is generally conced-
cd to be the cholsce of his party,
while the question of a Republican
presidential candidate is still in the
air, although during the last week
the progress has been all one way
and Taft looks today like the almost
certain candidate Of the,Republicans.
However, there are plenty of Re-
publicans, especially among the
politicians, who have their scalping.
knives sharpened for Taft and if
they can catch the big Secretary
with his back turned they will knife
him AZ sure as fate.
The President has just precipiaat-
ed a pretty row in the Navy depart
ment by his order that a naval sur
geon shall command the hospital
ship Relief. The line officers of
the navy are violently opposed to
permitting doctor command a ship.
They say that whenever the navi-
eating officer reports a squall IN the
oflng the captain-doctor will order
cslomel and consult has anatomical
charts. Senator Hale, chairman of
the committee on Naval Affairs, In
sists that no doctor shonld COM
mand a ship and threatens to intro
duce a bill prohibiting it. The
army officers are greatly reJoiced be-
cause they have had to stand no end
of chatting over the army surgeons
who have received preferment. For
instance, Major General Ainsworth
was doctor and is said to have re-
csived his first promotion because of
his skill at keeping the feet of the
infantrymen in good shape Then
there is General Leonard Wood who
secured regiment and special pro-
motion over the heads OF hundreds
of other officers because he was Mrs
McKinley's family physician and
President Mckinley never could re.
fuse any favor asked by his wife.