The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-31
COCKTAILS BECOMES
CIVIL. GOVERNOR
Will Take Charge Tomorrow Of Every
thing From Lead
Pencil up.


Panama canal enters upon another
phase of progress tomorrow when
civil government will be established
on Uncle Sans ten mile strip from
ocean to ocean. Colonel George W..
Goethals, who as chief engineer dur
ing construction of the big ditch has
been autocrat Of its administration IS
to be civil governor. Ever since the
United States undertook building Of
the zone, 1t has been technically I'M
der military rule. A commission
form Of government had actual admin.
istration authority, but practically
all the commissioners were military
officers Colonel Goethals has been
supreme in authority. During the
building OF the canal it has often been
said that Cocktails administration
was required If an employe wanted
to requisition pencil.
The new civil government comes
automatically in effect tomorrow in
pursuance with proclamation IS
sued two months ago by President
Wilson. The isthmian canal commits
sion likewise dies. The Panama
canal law, approved August "a, 1872
the exemption from tolls claus. of
which is now under consideration in
Icongress9makes the president the
real ruler OF Panama, through a gov
ernor and such other persons as he
may elect. The president has told
Goethals that he is to have free hand
in his administration, which is taken
to mean that the civil governor will
have nearly $500 Jobs at his disposal.
There is no civil service on the canal
either.
In his new Job Cocktails foremost
duty is to make the canal ready for
use. He was given the place because
| it has been his ambition when the
canal was completed and the engi-
neering and construction forces had
done with their work, that he might
ACTUALLY have some hand in the start
ing OF commerce through the water
way. OF course the task of rearrang-
ing the administration in the zone is
an enormous one, but that of drilling
| the canal employees in their work and
/, Of making the canal success will
from the start to finish be greater.
On his recent VISIT here, the colonel
made it plain thet he intends to go
slowly in re-arranging the zone gov
eminent BY law, all executive orders
and regulations will be continued in
force after tomorrow, so that the
switch from a commission to a one
man government will be accomplished
with no apparent wrench. Specula-
ton was rife here today as to whether
Goethals plans to continue the semi
socialistic, paternalistic scheme Of
caring for canal employees under the
new government Heretofore the en-
ploye was furnished by the govern
ment with residence: he was sold
food supplies at cost, given free med
ical attendance and free schools,
while every effort was made to en-.
courage establishment Of churches
and recreation buildings. Needless to
say, there we're no taxes at all.
Goethals thinks the canal will be in
running order by July THAT is i,
will be constructively complete But
the chief engineer wants his operating
force, the men who handle the giant
locks. the towing locomotives. and
lother delicate machinery to be thor
ouehly drilled in their respective jobs
before the canal is thrown open &c