Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-09-08

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That canal across the isthmue may
never float 9 ship from ocean to ocean,
but never mind. In attempting to put
through the great enterprise we may
think 1t worth while to juggle with
some Of our sacred home traditions In
the matter Of the employment Of labor
and buying supplies, and again never
mind. Really the traditions were made
for home use when we never antici-
pated having 10 dig q big ditch across
a stretch OF tropical territory. Even
at this date. with the great enterprise
but barely begun. we have achieved In
the sanitation OF the isthmus a feat
which the London Lancet. chief Brit
ish authority on medical and sanitary
work, declares Is as great as the con-
struetiOn Of the canal itself.
All the world knows that I'm tao
king the canal job we faced the gen
orally fatal effects Of tropical tenn
perature, with its facilitating humidI-
", accentuated by nolsome exhala-
tons poisonous to natives as well as
to people from the temperate zone. II
seemed ridiculous to imagine that
American ingenuity and energy could
modify conditions that had turned
back the French. who had the teach
Ing and experience Of half a century
In Africa to guide them. And yet
within three years we have demon
strated the possibility OF healthfuI life
for both native and foreigner in the
tropics. A great problem in human
possibilities and perhaps in human des-
tiny has been put 10 test. Cities OF
the isthmus which before were hot
beds Of disease have been transformed
through systems 81 waterworks and
sewerage. widened and paved streets
and efficient sanitary regulations arbi-
trarlly enforced. There need not be
pestIlential city on the face Of the
globe after this unless its inhabitants
choose 10 maintain 1t so.
Already the success OF aur santa
tlon in Panama has borne fruit
throughout the country, and Its lesson
will not be lost on the whole world
The English know from past expert
ence In India and other tropical lands
the tremendous difficulties we have en-
countered and overcome; hence II Is
tribute for its chief medical organ
to say that our work in Panama has
actually changed the climate OF the
country so that It Ia no longer danger
Gus for foreigners to live there nor for
natives TO do a mans days work
there. ON this point the lancet says;
In the lap OF the gods rests the future
OF the Panama canal enterprise Wheth-
or 4 prove the great engineering triumph
and commercial highway TO which many
OF rs look forward time alone win show
but OF one credit history can never rob
the United States. Among much good
| and evil II must be recorded that II was
| under the American administration that
the knowledge and the resources Of mod
ern science were applied to the hygienic
redemption OF the once nolaome isthmua,
Such fruits Of labor in this direction have
already been gathered that they promise
| TO rival as worthy monument OF Amer
lean achievement even the canal itself,
This Is high praise, but 1t Is de-
served, for the freeing Of one Of the
unhealthieat quarters Of the Inhabited
world from the many malignant dis.
eases which formerly spread terror
there il. as the Lancet elsewhere OBJ
serves. almost miracle"