The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-18
TAFT WELL PLEASED
 WITH CANAL WORK
Progress Is Considered Very
 Rapid at Present
WORKERS WANT RAISE
More Pay and Announce That If They Do Not Get It They
 Will Leave

Colons November 17.-President Taft sailed for Charleston at o'clock this evening abroad the armored cruiser Tennessee, which was conveyed by the Montana, after four interesting days on the isthmus. Before leaving the Pres ident said
 This is the fifth time I have visited the lsthmus and l have gone over the whole line and looked into every part of the Improvements. It is about 9 months since I was last here and In that time the progress made has been most satis- factory. Indeed it is remarkable. The first think that strikes one is the fact that work is being done apparently on every foot of the 50 miles of the canal and done under an organization of men, plants and materials that operates as economically and effectively as a ma chine, with Goethals who sits with a lever and keeps the whole machine in operation.
 When I was here 9 months ago the ruain question was the confirmation of the judgment of Congress in ordering the lock type of canal instead of sea level. The extent to which the Gatum dam and the locks have been completed has re- moved from every impartial observer the slightest doubt on the wisdom of the decision made and the feasibility of the plan adopted. This conclusion Is further confirmed and clinched by the difficulty occasioned by slides in Culebra cut, which, for a canal of an 1S5-foot level necessitated only an additional excava- ton that could easily be taken care of. Any attempt. however, to sink canal in culebra to depth of 80 feet below the present proposal level, would lengthen the time of construction, weary the pa- tience of the Americans, make the cost almost prohibitory and leave it an cx- ceedingly doubtful question whether, with the difficulty presented by the Chagres, such canal would be possible at all.
 Gatun Lake Is Rising
 The Gatum dam lock with the lake already IS feet and still rising to a level of S5 feet, which will constitute the key to the whole plant of the canal, Is so far advanced that, taken with Culebra cut and the locks on the Pacific side, 8 definite picture is given of what the canal is to be, which in- spires one with eagerness for its com pletiou.
 The landslides in Culebra can be cas- fly removed the further excavation and the widening of the slope where they occur, merely adding something to the amount of excavation previously call eulated upon, and to the cost, but tn percentage of both time and cost will be very small, not enough to increase the estimates for the completed canal
 ''The work is so far advanced that the time has come for the discussion | of plans Of management and mainten- l ance of the canal. The government of | Panama Is peacefully pursuing it's | course and enjoying prosperity and po- litical calm.
 ."The authorities in charge manifest | every disposition to assist the Unit ed States in the construction of the | canal and to conform to every detail l of the obligations imposed by the treaty"
 Dissatisfied Workers
 On the eve of President Tafts depar- ture 100 boilermakers, dissatisfied that | after hearing their complaints last even | ing the President would give no imme- l diate answer to their demands, gave five | days notice of quitting their work and ss Hing for home Several of the unions of machinists and blacksmiths are threat eniEg similar action. It Is not proposed 10 strike, but simply to resign and leave tbe isthmus. Only 100 employees. const- tuting 9 per cent of the force. are like ly to be affected. The canal officials are indignant at these employees for trying to force their demand, which the off oials regard as unreasonable.
 President Taft promised to consider the matter fully and cable his answer from Charleston, but this did not satisfy some of the hot-heads among the boilermakers.
 Statement Is Issued
 The canal commission this afternoon issued statement which in part is as follows:
 During the past year number of petitions asking an increase in pay were presented by the American canal work CTS, who were paid hourly and who nuri- Der 1500, about 25 per cent of the entire American force. The commission, after consideration, declined to grant the in- creases, not considering any justification necessary for such action. The standard gay on the isthmus is 65 cents an hour, which is from 10 to 30 cents higher than in the United States. Tn addition, the workers receive free quarters. fuel, light,