The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-06-18

of greater significance or of more
lasting value than his work for the
Fflipinos.
Secretary Of War.
1t is not important here TO discuss
in detail Mr.. Taft's administration of
the war department since he succeed
ed Elihu Root as secretary of war on
February /, 1904. He has been at the
head Of it during the years OF its
greatest range of activity. He is not
merely secretary OF the army, as al
most all his predecessors were. He
is secretary of the colonies. Under
his direction fall matters of the ut
most Importance affecting every one
of the oversee possessions of the
United States. The affairs of the
army alone have often proved suffi-
cient to occupy the whole attention of
an able secretary. Mr.. Taft has had
to handle not only those and the Phil
ippine and Cuban business. but to
direct the construction of the Panama
Canal as we'll. And at not infrequent
intervals he has been called on to par
ticipate in the direction of other
weighty affairs OF government He
has been the general adviser of Pres
ident Roosevelt and has been called
into consultation on every important
matter which has required govern
mental action.
The administration of canal affairs
has required in a high degree that
quality described as executive ability.
The building of a canal is a tremen-
dous enterprise, calling constantly for
the exercise of sound business judg-
ment. In it Mr.. Taft has displayed
in ripened proportions the abilities he
foreshadowed when solicitor general
and collector of internal revenues.
Building the Canal.
When Mr.. Taft became secre tary of
war this country had just taken pos
session of the canal zone, under treaty
with the republic of Panama, and of
the old canal property, including the
Panama railroad, by purchase from
the French company. The work was
all to do. The country expected the
dirt to begin to fly at once. The news
papers and periodicals were full of
cartoons representing Uncle Sam in
long boots with spade on his should
er, striding down to the isthmus to
begin digging. But before there could
be any real excavation there was a
tremendous task to meet. First of all
the isthmus must be changed from a
disease breeding pest hole to a place
where Americans could live and work
in safety. The canal zone must be
cleaned up, mosquitoes stamped out
and the place made sweet and heal
thy. Habitations must be constructed
for many thousands of workmen and
their families. The cities of Panama
and Colon, at the terminal of the can.
AL must be made thoroughly sanitary
and supplied with water and sewers
An organization for the work of canal
construction must be perfected and
millions Of dollars worth of machinery
and supplies must be purchased and
transported to the isthmus.
All these things, however, were OF
purely business character. 1t re-
quired only time and ability to handle
them properly. But there was anoth
er matter to be taken care of before
! these could be undertaken, and it was
, of a decidedly different nature. The
Hay-Varilla treaty with Panama haC
secured to the United States all the
rights necessary for complete contro
OF the canal zone, and it became o.
| the most importance to insure the
maintenance of friendly relations witt
/ 10 90 Lo &C.
would certainly greatly increase the
ordinary difficulties of building the
canal if our people had to encounter
the hostilities of the Panamanians.
Here was a problem largely similar
&c that met by Mr.. Taft in the Philip
pines, and calling for the exercise O
the same qualities of tact, sympathy
justice and patience which he had ex
| hibited in the Far East
! 1t became his task to convince the
Panamanian people and government
that the United States had not gone Il
! the isthmus to build a rival state in
stead OF a canal. AS head of the wal
department, and the superior of the
| Canal commission, he has conducted
all the affairs of this governmen Mt will
/ the republic of Panama since the rat
ification of the original treaty. ant
/ has succeeded in keeping our relations
with the isthmus uniformly pleasant
! Always, at least once a year. he ha:
made trip to the canal zone and ex
amined affairs there with his owl
eyes. He has just returned from the
/ isthmus, the president having SEN
him there to settle d number of cues
/ tons which required his persona
| consideration on the ground Perhap.
some conception of his esponsibilitie.
on the isthmus may be had from the
! fact that siDce the actual work Of can
al building began there has beer
/ spent on ii upward of $50. 900 900, anC
every dollar of that expenditure re
! CURED and received his approval
Real SeIf-Governnnent for Cuba.
/ Aside from the Philippines and the
! Canal the greatest call that has beer
made. upon Mr.. Taft since he became
secretary of war came from Cuba
/ This was case largely similar TO the
/ Philippine problem. The American
! people have so long imbibed the the
/ DRY and practice of self-governmenf
with their mothers milk that they
| have developed a tendency TO believe
! auy poouJa firtad for II x.-bo Jo-;-n .