The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-01-24

credit Of any nation. OF any govern
ment. when II performs some vast
which will last for many
centuries, and which adds perceptibly
to the sum Of achievements OF man
kind. Such an undertaking is the
Panama Canal. Last spring, when |
was in Europe, | was struck by the
fact that every statesman | met deem
ed two acts Of the American people
during the past decade pre-eminent-
ly worth noting, these two being the
voyage of the battleship fleet around :
the world and the business-like eff I,
ficiency with which we were doing the
work of the Panama Canal Now, our,
own people have largely been ignor-
ant of the really wonderful work that
has been done on that canal. No men
in our history, save only some of the
men engaged in the great wars which
founded and perpetuated this nation,
have such a claim on the gratitude of
such efficient work on the Panama
Canal.
"That work represents one of our
greatest national assets, one of the
greatest feats to be credited to our
nation throughout our entire history.
Enormous sums of money have been
spent, and yet there is practically no
| faint of corruption in connection with
spending them. Very, very few pri-
vate business concerns, no matter how
well administered, can show such a
high standard of probity and efficien-
cy as has obtained among the men
doing the work on the Panama Canal.
"Many men have rendered high and
honorable service to the United
States in connection with work of the
Panama Canal, but by far the great
est and most important work has been
rendered by Colonel Cocktails. It is
to him more than to any other one
man that we owe the successful ac-
complishment of one of the great bu-
siness and engineering feats of all the
ages.
"Now, I thus speak OF Colonel Co
ethals and of those associated with
him and working under him because
what they do illustrates just what
mean when I speak of applied NOR
ality in governmental life. OF course
in government you can hardly speak
of morality as being such unless it is
also efficient. Public morality is a
matter of integrity combined with eff
ficiency.
"Let me take one more illustration
For more than half a century there
have been repeated and organized eff
forts to further the cause of interna-
tional peace. Great peace meetings
; have been held again and again in
Il country after country. .ow real good
: has ben accomplished at some of these
Y peace meetings; they have sometimes
e furthered the cause Of peace.
= For instance, it was a fine thin
d to do to establish The Hague Court
l. but having been established, the cour
was never used, for it was found cas-
Isl Ter to pass lofty resolutions as to it
). existence than actually to get an
or power, any nation, under any circun
id stances to try to take advantage I
ID it. The Court would in actual fac
s. never have come into existence, j
Or memory would have vanished, if
a had not been for John Hay, who ;
is Secretary of State succeeded in ge
1. ting Mexico and the United States
a submit to the Judgment of the Cou
RS claim involving the two nations.
to was this act of John Hay (which Ii
ell terally saved the Court.
lie "What has been accomplished
ed friendly treaty during Preside
hit Taft's administration represents
he mass of substantial achievement,
r. triumph over the formidable obstt
ed Giles"
1t was toward the end of his lectu
he that Colonel Roosevelt deviated fro
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