The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-12-27
I.IIette1.st u
EDITED m
s.,:ss..,,;. - q 20.

the fail Of 1905, the New York
flections were Of national signih-
nca The president amazed the
country bs throwing his influence
oeniy fE Hughes asainse Hearst IL
contest for governor. National is
sue we're al stake, ne believed. Sec
rotary Root was sent to Utica as
spokesman OF the administration in a
statement attacking Hearst and back
inf 1ugles. The first "thfrd-teFm
Eailf began TO Ne heard at this juno
iiIa II was said chat the fortunes Of
~ Republican party and the fate
Df what were TO become known as
my poliees" would compel the presi-
dent to reconsider his decision not
10 run asaiu. The Editor.
what the President Saw at Panama.
q. s. s. LOUISIANA
At Sea, Nov. 20, 1906.
DEAR KERMIT:
Our visit to Panama was most sue
eful as well as most interesting.
We were there three days and we
worked from morning till night The
second day I was up at a quarter to
S and got to bed at quarter to 12,
ana ! do not. believe that in the In
!sryentng time, same when was
dressing, there were 10 consecutive
msnntes when was not buslly at
work in some shape OF form. For two
days there (were) uninterrupted
sropic rains without a glimpse of the
Hin, and the ChagTes River rose in
~ Nod, ughter than any for is years;
80 that we saw the climate at It's
worst. It was just what desired to
DO.
It certainly adds to ones pleasure
10 have read history and to appreci-
ute the picturesque When on We'd
nesd aylWe approached the coast, and
he iulgle-oovered mountains looked
nseaFeF and clearer until we could see
Tie euFf beating on the shores, while
there was hardly sign of human
hahitation, kept thinking of the
four centuries of wild and bloody 70
nance, mixed with abject squalor and
suffering, which had made up the
history Of the iSthmus until three
years ago. / could see Balboa cross
5InE at DaRen, and the wars between
he Spaniards and the Indians, ano
The settlement and the building up OF
he quaint walled Spanish towns; ana
3 the trade, across the seas by galeon,
and over land by paok-trafn and river
! canee, in gold and silver, in precious
stones: and then the advent Of the
buccaneers and of the English sea-
men, OF Drake and Frobisher and
MoFgan and many, many Others and
the wild destruction they wrought.
Then ! though of the rebellion against
The Spanish dominion and the unin-
teFTupted and Ibloody wars that fol-
lowed, the last occurring when be-
eame president; wars, the victorious
heroes which have their pictures
ffescoed on the quaint rooms Of the
Z palace at Panama city, and similar
places IN all capitals of these strange
turbulent little half-caste civiliza-
/, tl0rs. Meanwhile the Panama Rail
road had been built by Americans
over a half century ago, with appal-
ling loss OF life, so that it is said,
OF course with exaggenation, that
every sleeper laid represented the
death OF man. Then the French
canal company started work, and for
two or three years did a good deal
until it became evident that tho task
far exceeded its powers; and then
to miscalcuIation and ineffictency
vas added the hideous greed Of ad
vemurers, trying each TO save some.
thing from the general wreck, and
the company closed with infamy and
scandal
Now we have taken hold of the
lob. We have difficulties with oul
nwn people, of course. haven't a
doubt that 1t will take little longer
and cost a little more than men now
appreciate, but believe that the