The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-07-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.


scathfng Arrangement Delivered to En-
gineer Wallace by Secretary Taft.
Something About theN New
Chief Engineer.
Il is probable that few people have
followed the details leading up to the
resignation of John F. Wallace, chief
engineer of the Panama canal and a
member of the canal commission, suf-
ficiently closely to appreciate the full
measure of his lack Of loyalty in
throwing up his Office to accept a po-
sition which offered greater remunera-
ton, but no one can read the terrible
arrangement or the former chief en-
gineer which Secretary Taft delivered
to him in person, without gathering
some idea of the size, mentally rather
than physically, of the secretary OF
war, OF the high ideals which inspire
his every action, Of his high concep-
ton of loyalty to his government and
the business and manliness which per-
wade him.
Briefly, the circumstances were these.
Wallace, at his own solicitation, was
made member of the commission.
His every suggestion was received with
respect and in practically every in
stance was carried into effect. AS re-
Gently as May rs, Wallace wrote to
the chairman OF the commission that
he was entirely satisfied, delighted"
in fact with everything that had been
done, and would throw himself into the
work with his whole heart and soul.
The chairman had urged him to so or
ganize his engineering force as to pro-
vide for such an emergency as his ILL
ness, his being suddenly called away
from the isthmus, ETC., and Wallace
had promised to do this. Then, twelve
days after his letter OF May 26, he ae-
cepted proposition from a New York
concern and, according to his own
statement, his only stipulation, when
asked il he would accept the new place,
terms and conditions"
When Secretary Taft heard what
Mr.. w allace had done, heard it from
his own lips, he proceeded to express
his opinion of the chief engineers
conduct in unvarnished term. He never
lost his temper, as the eonserv alive
oh aracter of his rem arks demonstrates,
but he did not spare his auditor.
Sc MT To fha
secretary of war as disloy atty, and
in his Judgment Mr.. Wallace had
been guilty of the gravest sort of dis
ness which was contemplate, and the
secretary proceeded to tell him SO.
The new engineer, John E. Stevens,
regarded as a man of exceptional
ability. He constructed the Rocky
Mountain division Of the Great North
ern Railroad. which is regarded as
one OF the best built roads in the eoun-
try, perhaps in the world. "Stevens
spent between $50, 900. 900 and 100000
600 for j. J. Hill and Mr.. Hill was SO
we'll satisfied that he recommended
Stevens to me in the highest terms, !"
said Mr.. Shonts, chairman OF the COM
mission, toy your corresponds
and he added: "Could anything be a
better test of a mans ability?" Those
who know HJimn Hill will unani-
mously answer no.
"What we want on the isthmus is a
great, big, braiEy man, capable OF ex-
erting great driving power" con-
tinued Mr.. Shonts. ''He must be q
man capable of handling men, must
know enough to know what to expect
from subordinates and must possess
the faculty of inspiring them with en-
thusiasm. He must be too big a man
to lose the perspective OF his work by
confning his attention to minor de-
tails, or to the more obstruse en-
cheering problems OF the great enter
prise. We have board OF expert en-
gineers right here in Washington for
no other purpose than to work out
these intricate problems, and the chief
engineer should utilize that organi-
cation for all it is worth. Asked
who would be the assistant chief
engineer, Mr.. Shonts said sim
ply, II don't know. You see, when
ask man to do work I expect him TO
do it. [ don't care how he does it,
what men or what tools he uses SO
long as he does the work and it is sat-
isfactory when he gets through. Now
am going to tell Stevens to go ahead
and organize his own force, perfect his
machine and dig. Then I shall look
to him for results and the personality
of his assistants and similar details
will rest entirely with him.
Secretary Taft left w ashington Fri
day night of last week for the Philip.
pines, accompanied by seven senator's
and twenty-three members of the
house, many of them with their wives,
Miss Alice Roosevelt, General Bliss
and several other military men, and a
few newspapermen and other guests.
The secretary and his party will spend
about a month in the Philippines and
it will be busy month for the seere-
tary, who will assist in solving num-
Der of difficult problems. There are
still some matters relating to the Cath
Ole church to be settled, such as the
amount to be paid for churches which
were seized and used by troops during
the insurrection. Then there is the
great question of transportation. The
secretary is extremely anxious to have
a good system of railroads on the is
lands and will make many inquiries
regarding the best locations for the
trunk lines. He hopes to acquire in
formation in this regard which, with
that he already possesses, will enable
him to discuss the matter comprehen-
eivelv with americans who care to in.