Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-30

Mr.. TAFT has applied to this world
project and history making enterprise
those same qualities Of careful, thought
full 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
eminence 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 every dollar OF this expendi-
ture. He has not been satisfied with
n 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.
hospitable region to locality where
curity without the fear Of plaques or
dread Of ontagious diseases. The rate
OF mortality on the isthmus Is about
the same as 1t is In our American cities
Stage. of the Work.
Work on the canal has passed
through two stages. those Of planning
and preparation. II Is now In the third
and final stage. that Of construction.
Both OF the earlier stages required the
presence OF large working force.
necessarily quartered in temporary and
make shift accommodations. Because
OF these conditions. inevitable at the
outset. early critics OF the enterprise
mistook the initial and temporary out.
nt for perma nent equipment.
ThrouGhtfal About Labor.
Mr.. Taft's chief concern has been the
proper care of the laboring man on the
isthmus. Under his patient and ap.
proved methods the terrible scourre
Of yellow fever. against which the
French struggled In vain. the filthy and
pest breeding state OF the principlI
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-
nicipal Engineering and the Building
Department To-day We hnd yellow
fever driven from the isthmus. the
deadly stegomyia mosquito thus rem
r.a
monia greatly reduced and a high
average OF health prevailing.
MAN moth Construction Project.
President Roosevelt appointed spe-
cial commission to examine the 18th
milan situation last spring. nnd 1t re-
ported Aug. q. 1908. According to this
special report there were at work at
the Isthmus April 30. 1905. 26.I1S men
for the Isthmian Canal Commission and
1.0I5 at work for the Panama railroad.
. total OF 3:s. 1913 men all told. Housing
this industrial army in quick time.
with due attention TO sanitation and
hygiene. was n problem which would
have been beyond most men. But Mr.
Taft did 1t successfully.
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 1,9I5 miles from Its main
base OF supply, New York. We can es-
timatc with more Justice and accuracy
the magnitude and complications Of the
undertaking Mr.. Taft has conducted %
we'll.
WeskisG1sn Appreciate Taft.
He has succeeded In impressins labor
on the lsthmus with his kindly inter.
81 In Its behalf. On this point the spe.
cial commission's report says: From
the outset We were strongly Impressed
by the spirit Of good will ana loyalty
Of the employees The general
sentiment Of the workers wss sxpressed
in the words Of . mechanic, In one Of
the conferences which ws held with
representatives, Of ai6ersns trades. Said
he: We want Il ualsrstood that We
are American eitise.s asd that ~ ars
Drssl 70 have . share n this great
work. We believe the gevsrnnsnt 10
treating Us right. and ws are - much
interested 10 see this thing q success
- anyone rhs spirit Of loyalty and
Interest In tie wsrk was evidenced On
many occasions sRd should - account.
- as an .st Of the highest vaius to
tie government In the accomplishment
Of its colossal task"
rass Raises vases.
o. May I. 1901. - Secretary ss War,
Ns. Tan Issued . isessvisy se1ss nsl.