The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02

Tho Fun Membership Of the HeorganiLed
Canal Commission Nnl De Announced
on MOnday-Mr. shOnts WI Have the
Supreme Direction Of the Canal Work.
WASHINGTON, April Theodore ?.
Shonts, president Of the Toledo, st. Louis
and Western railroad Company, better
known a. the Clover Leaf Road, who reached
Washington last night from the West
Indies, to-day accepted the post OF chair
man OF the Panama Canal Commission to
succeed Rear Admiral John @. Walker,
whose resignation was asked for. On
Monday the membership Of the new COM
mission will be announced by tho War
Department.
In a talk with the President at noon and
at a subsequent White House luncheon,
Mr. Shonts got q pretty good idea OF Mr.,
Roosevelt's plans for the reorganization OF
the Canal Commission and the conduct OF
the canal work. While there are to be
seven Canal Commissioners, the Attorney
General having decided that the President
could not legally carry out his desire to
appoint three only, the administration OF
canal affairs will be vested almost entirely
in three Commissioners-Mr. Shonts, Judge
Charles E. Magoon. the land officer Of the
present commission, and John F. Wallace,
chief engineer Of the canal.
Mr.. Shonts will have the supreme direc-
ton and will be responsible for the canal
work. Judge Magoon u TO DO designated
as Governor Of tho Canal Zone and will
probably also be accredited TO the Panama
Government in a diplomatic capacity, John
Barrett, the present Minister 10 Panama,
having recommended that tho Offices Of
Governor and Minister be merged. Mr..
Wallace will have entire charge Of the canal
construction work, assisted by an advisory
board OF engineers, and he will be RESPONSE
bic only 10 the President OF the United
States. The advisory engineers are TO DO
selected from among the best American
and foreign talent available, and II Is proba-
bic that a majority Of them will DO Euro
peans.
Mr.. Shonts blushed to-day when he was
asked II he was the hundred thousand
dollar man for whom President Roosevelt
had been seeking to build the canal.
oh, no" he said, i won't need that
absurd salary
He said also that be would not entirely
sever his connection with the Clover Leaf
Road. For awhile he would remain In
Washington, he said, studying the details
OF lut hNlllHllhll dNloilt Iht iic tAloNN'N
TO spend much time on the lsthmus.
Il will 60 there without any prejudice
or bias he added, 'and intend 10 have
the work done on strict busin ess principles.
The question Of salaries 70 be paid TO
Mr.. Shonts and the other commissioners
has not been determined. "A said In the
beginning Of this despatch, there will be
seven members Of the commission. II is
expected that, in addition 70 Messrs. Shonts,
Magoon and Wallace, William Barclay
Parsons and William H. Burr, members
Of the present commission, will be reap
pointed, leaving the names unannounced
Of two commissioners only. One Of these
Is an a my engineer now on the retired
list.
Il was while Mr. Shonts was cruising In
the West Indies last week on the United
States despatch boat Dolphin as the guest
Of Secretary Of the Navy Morton, and
with Speaker Cannon, Senator Hale and
Rear Admiral Rodgers as fellow passengers
that the President asked him by telegraph
20 become the head Of the Canal Commits
sion. The Dolphin landed Mr.. Morton
and his guests at Fernandina, Fla, yester-
day, and they hurried 10 Washington by
special train. reaching here late last evening.