The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-10-18
His Directing Hand Has Insured
Success of the Mammoth
Project.
Raised Wages of Isthmian Laborers
by Longevity Order While War
Secretary.


sibility of inaugurating the work and
Systematically shaping up the practical
operations until degree of efficiency
has been reached that may we'll as
tonish the nations Of the earth.
Mr.. Taft has applied to this world
project and history making enterprise
those same qualities OF careful. thought
ful investigation. penetrating judgment
and absolutely fair dealing which have
made him so signally successful in the
performance of all those duties of state
which have brought him to the high
emlnenee 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 10
approve every dollar of this expend-
ture. He has not been satisfied with
a single visit to the lsthmus. but has
made the long journey every year so
that he might direct the work more
economically. The result is that he has
changed the situation there from an In
hositable region to a locality where
Americans can live in healthful So
eurlty without the fear Of plaques or
dread OF contagious diseases. The rate
of mortality on the isthmus Is about
the same as II is In our American cities
Stages of the work.
Work on the canal has passed
through two stages. those of planning
and preparation. 1t Is now In the third
and final stage. that of construction
Both Of the earlier stages required the
presence OF large working force
necessarily chartered In temporary and
make shift accommodations Because
of these conditions, Inevitable At the
outset, early critics Of the enterprise
mistook the initial aud temporary ont
1T for permanent equipment.
Mr. Taft's chief concern has been the
proper care of the laboring man on the
islhmus Under his patient and mp
proved methods the terrible scourge
Of yellow fever. against which the
French struggled in vain. the filthy and
pest breeding state of the principal
panamanan towns. the rough labor
camps. and other pioneer har1ships of
the two first eras, have been eliminated
lie has accomplished these things
through the activity OF the Department
OF Sanitation. the Department Of Mu-
nicipal Engineering and the Building
Department To-day we find yellow
fever driven from the lsthmus. the
deadly stegomyia mosquito thus rem
dered lnnoeuous, malaria and pneu-
monia greatly reduced and high
average of health prevailing.
Mammoth Construction Project.
President Roosevelt appointed a spe-
cla commission to examine the 18th
milan situation last spring. and it re-
ported Aug O. 1908. According to this
special report there were at work at
the Isthmus April 80 1908. 26,11s men
for the lsthmlan Canal Commission and
1918 at work for the Panama railroad,
a total of 33. 1913 men all told. Housing
this industrial army I'm quick time,
with due attention TO sanitation and
hygiene, was a problem which would
~ L.
Taft did II 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 ut distance of 1882 miles
from It's nearest base of supply, New
Orleans, and 1878 miles from its 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 SO
well
worisinEmen Appreciate Taft
He has succeeded In lmpressing labor
VII tue iNihiuuS Win hlS hluull luAtiT
est In It's 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 1t understood that we
are American citizens aud 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