Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
IS Proud Of CANAL
TAFT REGARDS 1T LARGELY AS
TIE ACHIEVEMENT or HIS
ADMINISTRATION.
WHO PUT IN THE SOLDIERS?
Question for Future Historians to An
swer-Spiendid Work of Goethals,
Gorgas, Gaiiiard and Sibert viii
Be Rewarded.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

DC nGWdFCGE4
BY GEORGE CLINTON,
Washington.-Presi Taft's jour
neg to the Panama Canal Zone consti-
tutes what will probably be the last
extended trip which he win make
while president of the United States.
Some persons have wondered why Mr.
Iaft cared just at this time to go to
the Isthmus of Panama and have won
dered il it might not be that his trip
was planned largely for the purpose
OF taking rest and having a little en-
1oyment prior to his separation from
the highest Office in the land.
The real reason why he is going to
the lsthmus of Panama is that he
wants to assure himself personally as
well as he can that "AlFs well with
the Isthmus' and that the project is
to be left to his successor in office
with every assurance that the present
administration has done its duty by it.
Mr.. Taft it is known feels an intense
personal interest in the work on the
Panama canal. He regards it in
large measure as being the work of
his administration, although his so
regarding it does not prevent him, it
Is said, from acknowledging that the
preliminary plans which made it pos
sible were laid by previous admins
tration
The presidents personal interest in
tho 1c4o hoo tn
he was secretary of war, and when
civilian engineer after civilian engi-
neer was appointed to the work of
building, only to resign one after an
other. It will be remembered that one
Of these engineers received a per-
sonal verbal castigation from William
Howard Taft that he probably holds
in ear-tingling memory today.
Who Put the Soldiers In?
The canal, it seems to be assured
is going to be success and the ques-
ton which the future historian after
proper investigation must. answer is
who was responsible for taking the
digging operations out of the hands
of civilians and putting it into the
hands of the soldiers, Theodore Roose-
welt or William H. Taft?
Col. George w. Goetha1s virtually
has promised that water shall be turn
ed into the canal throughout its en-
tire length in April next. This it is
believed will be the beginning of the
end of successful accomplishment
After 1t was decided to put soldier
in charge, it was Secretary Of War
Taft who suggested to Theodore
Roosevelt that Colonel Goethals be
given control of the work on the 18TH
mus, but the question which no one
has answered yet definitely is whether
1t was Mr.. Taft who insisted that the
civilians should get out and the sol
der should get in, or whether it was
the suggestion of his chief, Theodore
Roosevelt.
Rewards for the Builders.
No one knows yet definitely what
reward Is to be given Colonel Goethals
for his great engineering triumph. It
is possible that he will be put in
charge of the great canal commission
which will be responsible for the op-
erations of the canal and for it's main
tenance. Again it Is possible that he
may be made full general of the
army, rank which has been held by
only four men in the history of the
government, Washington, Grant, Sher-
man and Sheridan The most likely
reward perhaps Is that Colonel Gceth-
ais will be made chief of engineers
Of the United States army, position
which he will hold until the time of
his retirement at the age OF sixty-four
years, which will give him nine years
yet of active service
Among the others to be rewarded
for their work on the isthmus will be
Col. William G. Gorgas, who made the
zone inhabftable from a sanitary
standpoint; David B. Gaillard and
William l.. Sibert, lieutenant colonies
of engineers. who have been charged
with the immediate supervision of the
work on the Gatun dam and at the
Culebra cut. Gaillard and Sibert were
chosen as associates in the canal work
by Colonel Goethals
In just what form congress will
show its appreciation of the work of
Gaillard and Sibert is not known, but
it is possible they may be promoted
to the rank of brigadier general when
vacancies in that rank shall occur
Tariff Revision Prospects.
Before very long Representative
Underwood, chairman of the house
committee on ways and means,
and his Democratic colleagues of
that body, probably will have a full
understanding of the views of Presi-
dent-elect Woodrow Wilson on the
subject of tariff revision Mr. I'm
derwood will confer with Mr.. Wilson
and will in turn impart the informa-
ton received to his committee col
leagues.
During the campaign Woodrow Will
son said that he wanted the tariff re-
vised in such a way that business
would not be disturbed The Demo
Gratis IN congress differ to some ex-
tent as TO the amount of cutting which
can be done in the schedules and yet
aFCiu SCdiLuS UuSiuCS6- he D6IO-
Gratis here understand that the presi-
dent-eiact will make a close study of
the bills which were put through the
house at he last session under the su-
pervision of Mr. Underwood and that
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Telephone Detective.
There is a CITY editor whose pet
aversion is the late reporter, says
The New York Press. A member Of
his staff went out on the end Of one
of the North River piers where a