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The National Geographic Magazine 



prehensive scale. We shall divide the 

 work into sections and prepare specifi- 

 cations asking for bids for contracts for 

 such portions of the work as we think 

 can be done advantageously in that way. 

 We are strongly in favor of doing the 

 work by contract if the type of canal and 

 the prices bid will permit. One of the 

 chief benefits we have derived from the 

 preparatory work is the accumulation of 

 knowledge as to the nature of material 

 to be handled and the cost of handling 

 it, which will enable us to judge whether 

 or not such bids as we may receive will 

 make it desirable to have the work done 

 by contract. 



Gentlemen, we are treating this task as 

 a great business enterprise and are seek- 

 ing to accomplish it by the application of 

 strict business methods, paying no heed 

 to politics or political "pulls." Our sole 

 aim and purpose is to give the American 

 people the full worth of every dollar 

 they put into the work, and to hand over 

 the work completed to them at the 

 earliest possible day. So long as we con- 

 tinue in control of the job it will be man- 

 aged on these principles and on these 

 alone. When it becomes apparent that 

 we will not be permitted to build the 

 canal in that way we will step aside and 

 let somebody else take it in hand. In a 

 recent message to Congress, President 

 Roosevelt, who is the supreme director 

 of the work, every step of which has 

 been taken with his personal knowledge 

 and with his approval, said : 



"All our citizens have a right to con- 

 gratulate themselves upon the high stand- 

 ard of efficiency and integrity which has 

 been hitherto maintained by the repre- 

 sentatives of the government in doing 

 this great work. If this high standard of 

 efficiency and integrity can be main- 

 tained in the future at the same level 

 which it has now reached, the construc- 

 tion of the Panama Canal will be one of 

 the features to which the people of this 

 Republic will look back with the highest 

 pride." 



The members of the Commission and 

 those associated with them in the task 

 ask no higher approval than that ; neither 

 do they think that any other is neces- 

 sary to carry conviction to the minds of 

 the American people. In the same mes- 

 sage the President also said: 



"From time to time various publications 

 have been made, and from time to time 

 in the future various similar publications 

 doubtless will be made, purporting to give 

 an account of jobbery, or immorality, or 

 inefficiency, or misery, as obtaining on the 

 Isthmus. I have carefully examined into- 

 each of these accusations which seemed 

 worthy of attention. In every instance 

 the accusations have proved to be with- 

 out foundation in any shape or form. 

 They spring from several sources. 

 Sometimes they take the shape of state- 

 ments by irresponsible investigators of a 

 sensational habit of mind, incapable of 

 observing or repeating with accuracy 

 what they see, and desirous of obtaining 

 notoriety by widespread slander. More 

 often they originate with, or are given 

 currency by, individuals with a personal 

 grievance. The sensation mongers, both 

 those who stay at home and those who- 

 visit the Isthmus, may ground their ac- 

 cusations on false statements by some 

 engineer, who, having applied for ser- 

 vice on the Commission and been re- 

 fused such service, now endeavors to dis- 

 credit his successful competitors; or by 

 some lessee or owner of real estate who- 

 has sought action, or inaction, by the 

 Commission to increase the value of his 

 lots, and is bitter because the Commission 

 cannot be used for such purposes ; or on 

 the tales of disappointed bidders for con- 

 tracts ; or of officeholders who have- 

 proved incompetent or have been sus^ 

 pected of corruption and dismissed, or 

 who have been overcome by panic and' 

 have fled from the Isthmus. 



"Every specific charge relating to job- 

 bery, to immorality, or to inefficiency, 

 from whatever source it has come, has 

 been immediately investigated, and irt 



