Bismarck daily tribune., 1908-10-21
Raised Wages Of Isthmian Laborers
BY Longevity Order While War
Secretary.

iuI lnNestlgaIlon penetrating 1udgment
and absolutely fair dealing, which have
made him SO isignally successful in the
performance Of all those duties Of state
which have brought him to the high
eminence he now occupies as one Of our
greatest living Americans.
Must Knew 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 every dollar of this expendi-
tslfe. He, has not been satisfied with
single visit to the isthmus, but has.
made the long Journey every year SO
that be might direct the work more
1 economically. The result 10 that he has
changed the situation there from an In
hospitable region to 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 ID about
the same an 1t IL ID our American cities.
Stages of the work.
Nj Work on the canal has passed
through two stages, those Of planning
and preparation. It is now In the third
and Anal stage, that Of construction.
Both Of the earlier stages required the
presence Of q large working force,
necessarily quartered IN temporary and
make shift recommendations. Because
Of these conditions. Inevitable at the
outset, early critics Of the enterprise
znistook the initlaf and temporary cut.
AZ for permanent equipment.
rhrsughtfuI Assas Labor.
Mr.. Taft's chief concern has bean the
proper care ef tho laboring man on the
isthnus. Under his patient ana ap-
proved methods the terrfble scourga
Of yellow fever, against which the
French struggled In vain. the filthy and
4 pest breeding state .of the principal
Ranasaanian towns, ths rough labor
camps, and ether pioneer hardships Of
the two arst eras. have been eliminated.
He has accomplished these things
Through the activity, o. the Department
ct Sanitatioa, the Department OF Mu.
nfclraf EASfnderiHg and the BUILDING
Department. To-day ws ara yellow
fever driven from the asthmus, the
deadly ste1onyia mosquito thus rem.
dsred inAoeuous, malaria and pneu.
monia greatly reduced and q hiRh
average Of health prevailing.
aEsmmsth CsnstFuotlsn Project.
President Roosevelt appointed spe.
eial commission to examine the 18th.
milan situation last spring, ana it re.
ported Aug. 9, 1908. According TO this
special report there were ut work al
the Isthnaus April 80, 1903, "a, ,11s men
for the Esthnian Canal Commission and
7,07E at work for the Panama railroad
total Of 3s,1e3 men all told. Housins
this Industrial army In quick time
1 with due attention to sanitation and
hygiene, was 4 problem which would
have been beyond most men. But Mr.
Taft did II successfully.
TO keep the machinery and tools ii
condition, three large machine and re
pair shops, two shipyards ana numer
\ 0us warehouses are maintained. Wher
we recall that this enormous plant Ii
operated at distance Of 1882 miles
from its nearest base OF supply, New
Orleans, and 1875 miles from III mair
base OF supply. New York, We can es
innate with more justice and accuracy
the magnitude and complications OF til,
undertaking Mr.. TAFT has conducted st
well.
WorlxinEnea Appreciate Taft.
He has succeeded IN inpressing labo,
on the Isthmus with his kindly inter
est Ia its behalf. On this point the spe
cial commissions report says: .Fron
the outset we were strongly Impressed
II by the spirit Of good will and loyalty
OF the employees The genera
sentiment Of the workers was expressed
iii the words Of d mechanic, ia one q
the conferences which We held witt
representatives Of different trades SAT-
he: We want 1t understood that ",
d are American citizens ana that we ar,
proud to have share In this grea
work. We believe the government Il
treating us right, and we are as mucl
interested to zee this thing success
as anyone. This spirit OF loyalty an,
interest In the work was evidenced ol
many occasions ana should be account
ed as an asset Of ths highest value /,
the goysrnnaens I'd the accomplishment
OF les colossal task
Tafs Raises wasss.
On May !, 1907, as secretary og war
Mi. Taft issued q longevity order max