The Panama Canal 



65 



untarily offered, of a man who can truth- 

 fully be called an expert. He has not 

 merely made a twenty-eight hour visit 

 to the Isthmus, but has lived there or in 

 its vicinity for sixteen years. He is a 

 man of unquestioned character, who has 

 represented his government honorably 

 there as its financial agent, and who has 

 had practical experience in railway build- 

 ing and mining. The testimony of such 

 a man should be final against the inven- 

 tions and slanders not only of one, but 

 of any number of scandal-mongers. 



Speaking" for the members of the Com- 

 mission as well as for myself, I wish to 

 say with all possible emphasis that we 

 not only invite investigation of our acts 

 but ask for it as a right. If we are doing 

 our work honestly and efficiently, our 

 hands should be upheld ; if it is shown 

 that we are doing it inefficiently, we 

 should be removed ; and if we are doing 

 it dishonestly, we should be exposed, con- 

 victed, and sent to prison. Neither 

 knaves nor incompetents should be per- 

 mitted to have charge of a task of such 

 magnitude. But while we court the full- 

 est investigation, we earnestly ask that 

 it be absolutely non-partisan, that it be 

 made by persons of character and stand- 

 ing, either in public or private life, whose 

 recognized intelligence and fair-minded- 

 ness are such as to command public con- 

 fidence, and that it be made upon the 

 ground. 



We ask further that the investigation 

 be made promptly and ended as soon as 

 it can be and have its work done thor- 

 oughly. This is absolutely necessary if 

 we are to maintain any degree of effi- 

 ciency in the organization. The feeling 

 of uncertainty and unrest which constant 

 agitation about the Commission and its 

 work creates is destructive of that inter- 

 est in the work which is essential if the 

 best results are to be secured. It is im- 

 possible to retain good men in the service 

 under such conditions. 



We protest in the name of American 

 fair play against the dissemination in 



the United States of libels and slanders 

 upon the efficiency and character of faith- 

 ful workers on the Isthmus who, by rea- 

 son of their absence from their own 

 country, cannot defend themselves from 

 such assaults. Many of them went to the 

 Isthmus before it was made a healthful 

 place in which to work, and in doing so 

 faced death from disease as the soldier 

 faces it from the bullet on the field of bat- 

 tle. They saw many of their comrades 

 die from disease, but they themselves 

 either escaped it entirely or recovered 

 from its attack. A more loyal, faithful, 

 efficient body of men than these servants 

 of the United States on the Isthmus is 

 not to be found anywhere on earth. 

 Their devotion to the interests of their 

 country entitles them to the gratitude of 

 their fellow-citizens, and should protect 

 them from the cowardly attacks of that 

 most despicable of all assailants, the man 

 who stabs in the back. 



Gentlemen, I believe in the canal ; be- 

 lieve that it can be built in a reasonable 

 time, and believe that when, through 

 American generosity and under Ameri- 

 can control, it shall be thrown open to the 

 commerce of the world it will be hailed, 

 and will prove to be, a priceless boon to 

 all mankind. It will justify the faith of 

 the American people in its wisdom and 

 world-wide beneficence, and will justify 

 also the expenditure of millions of 

 American money for its construction. 

 When it shall be opened for traffic the 

 position of this nation in relation to the 

 trade and commerce of the world will be 

 a most favorable one. 



THE PROFIT FROM THE CANAL 



We shall have a virtually continuous 

 coast line from the northeastern extrem- 

 ity of Maine to the western extremity of 

 Alaska, open alike to the ships of the 

 Atlantic and the Pacific, and giving to 

 both the opportunity to trade directly 

 with each other. San Francisco will be 

 within 14 days of New York by steamers 

 making 16 knots an hour, instead of 60 



