The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-08-27
REPORT ON CANAL
IS VERY PLEASING
PRESIDENT GIVES OUT FINDINGS
OF COMMISSION.
COL. COCKTAILS is UPHELD
investigators Found Astonishing Prog
ress and Satisfactory Conditions
on the lsthmus = Recon-
mendatlons on Labor.


Oyster Bay, N. Y, Aug. 24.-Presi
dent Roosevelt Sunday made public {
i report made to him on August b!
i a special commission consisting OF
i James Bronson Reynolds. Samuel b
Donnelly and Henry Beach Needham
regarding conditions in Panama. The
commission was appointed April q
last Ito investigate conditions, espe
cially as regards labor and accom-
modations, on the isthus of Panama
That the president is pleased with
the report is shown in letter which
he sent to each member of the com
mission on Friday. He expresses par
ticular pleasure over the fact that the
commission upholds the administration
OF Col. George W. Goethals, chairman
| of the isthmian canal commission
and the president has had q copy OF
| the report mailed to Col. Cocktails re-
questing that the recommendations
made by the commission be put into
effect Immediately so far as possible.
The president will submit the report
to congress with appropriate recon-
| mendations.
To a great extent the report is de-
voted to a statistical outline Of the
work that has been accomplished and
the work that remains to be done.
President Rooseveit's Letter.
President Roosevelt's letter Of ap-
| probation, sent to the commissioners
| on August 81, is as follows:
Gentlemen: have received your
admirable report upon conditions at
Panama l am greatly impressed with
| 1t and shall submit 1t to congress with
appropriate recommendations as soon
| as that body convenes. Meanwhile,
shall send your recommendations to
Col Goethals and ask him to put
where he deems this impossible or i'm
practicable to report the fact to me
with his reasons.
Il am naturally extremely pleased
at the very satisfactory showing that
your report makes of conditions under
Col Goethals and his associates.
doubt If there is any piece of work I'M
dertaken on behalf OF the American
people of recent years Of which the
American people have more reason to
| be proud than of the work hitherto
done on the Panama canal. The sue;
cess has literally been astounding.
Five years ago when we undertook the
task. no sane man would have dared
to hope for the results which have al
ready been achieved. The work itself
has been advanced more expeditions
ly than we had ventured to think and
the rapidity of the rate Of progress
has steadily increased.
Model as to Hygiene.
Meanwhile the treatment Of hygien-
ic conditions on the isthmus has been
such as to make 1t literally the model
for all work of the kind in tropical
countries. Five years ago the isthmus
of Panama was by-word for unhealth-
mess OF the most deadly kind. At
present the canal zone is one of the
healthiest places on the globe, and
the work which is being prosecuted III
der conditions so favorable to the
health and well being Of the workers
that the mortality among them is alb
normally small.
FINALLY, in addition to the extreme
efficiency OF the work under Col
Goethals and his associates and
the extraordinary hygienic success
achieved under DR.. Gorgas, there is
the further and exceedingly gratifying
A.. s.th TTnffnl
States government has been able to
show itself a model employer. There
are matters to correct, Of course, as
your report showed, but on the whole
It is true that the United States gov
eminent is looking after the welfare,
health and comfort Of those working
for it as no other government has ever
done in work OF like character"
Some Points In the Report.
The report advises that the wage
scale be revised and simplifed and
that no reduction in wages be made.
The commission says 1t found the
eight.hour law faithfully enforced. 1t
recommends that labor secretary to
the commission should be appointed,
whose duty 1t shall be to Investigate
all complaints in relation to conditions
OF employment, subsistence and ac.
commodations, and to report thereupon
to the chairman Of the commission.
Adequate compensation for those In.
jured while at work on the canal is
recommended. AS at present pro.
/ yided by law. injured workmen are en-.
titled to one years pay unless sooner
able to resume work" In cage OF
death the widow, children and de
pendent parents receive the work.
L ~