Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-10-15


performance Of all those duties Of state
which have brought him TO the high
emlnence he now occupies as one Of our
greatest living Americans.
Must Know Personally.
Like the Philippine project and other
great work laid upon him, he has
studied the situation at Panama at
close range and trusted to no second
hand information with which TO IN
sure his success There has been about
ninety million dollars expended On the
work to date and Mr.. Taft has had to
approve cveCy aoaaar q ~ sapea0-
ture He has not been satisfied with
single visit 10 the isthmus, bsrt has
nude the long Journey every year so
that he might dtrect the work more
economically. The result is that be has
changed the situation there from an n
hospitable region 10 a locality where
Americans can live In healthful se-
curity without the fear Of plaques or
dread of contagious diseases. The rate
of mortality on the isthmus Is about
the same as IL Is In our American cities
stnges OF the Work.
through two stages. those Of planning
and preparation. IT is now In the third
and final stage, that Of construction
Both Of the earlier stages required the
presence OF a large working force
necessarily CHARTERED IN temporary and
make shift accommodate lions. Because
Of these conditions, inevitable at the
outset, early critics Of the enterprise
mistook the initial aud temporary out
nt for permanent equipment.
ThrouGhtfai Abous Labor.
Mr.. Tafts chief concern has been the
proper care Of the laboring man ON the
lsthmus. Under his patient and ap
proved methods the terrible scourge
of yellow fever, against which the
French struggled Ia vain. the filthy and
pest breeding state Of the principal
Panamanian towns. the rough labor
camps. and other pioneer hardships Of
the two first eras, have been eliminated
He has accomplished these things
through the activity of the Department
Of Sanitation the Department Of Mu-
niclpal Engineering and the Building
Department. To-day we find yellow
fever driven from the kthmuA, the
deadly stegomYa mosquito thus rem
dered tnnocnCus. malaria and pneu-
monia greatly reduced and a high
average Of hea h prevailing
Mammoth Construc<iou Project.
President Roosevelt appointed a epe-
cial commission TO examine the 18th.
milan situation last spring. and n re-
ported Aug. 8, 1908. According to this
special report there were at worn Il
the Isthmus April 80, 1903. 26,11s men
for the Isthmian Canal Commission and
7.o75 at work for the Panama railroad,
a total Of 83, 1913 men all told Housing
this industrial army in quick time.
with due attention to sanitation aud
hygiene. was a problem which would
have been beyond most men. But MI
Kart ala IL successfully.
To keep the machinery and tools In
condition, three large machine and re-
pair shops, two shipyards and numer-
Gus warehouses are maintained. When
we recall that this enormous plant Is
operated at a distance OF 1882 miles
from its nearest base Of supply, New
Orleans, and 1878 miles from It's main
base Of supply, New York. we can es-
innate with more justice and accuracy
the magnitude and complications OF the
undertaking Mr.. Taft has conducted 90
we'll
workisgme. Appreciate Tan.
He has succeeded In impressing labor
on the lsthmus with his kindly inter
est In Its behalf. On this point the spe-
cial commissions report says: From
the outset we were strongly impressed
by the spirit OF good will and loyalty
Of the employees The general
sentiment of the workers was expressed
In the words Of mechanic. In one Of
the conferences which we held with
representatives. OF different trades said
he: We want II understood that we
are American citizens and that we are
| proud TO have a share In this great
work We believe the government Is
treating US right, and we are as much
interested TO see this thing a success
as anyone This spirit Of loyalty and
interest In the work was evidenced on
many occasions and should be account
ed as an asset Of the highest value to
the government in the accomplishment
Of It's colossal task"
Taft Raises Wages.
- ~ tooT - Cocraxa - 80 wv