Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-30
THEWALLACEINCIDENT
REPLY TO sCATHING INDICTMENT
rs EXPECTED.
Alleged Correspondence in New York
Said to Clear Former Engineer Of
Improper Motives.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June 3O.-Frends of John
| F. Wallace. who has thrown up his job as
| chief engineer OF the Panama canal, are
awaiting expectantly a reply which they
| are confident he will make to the scathing
| indictment of Secretary of War Taft. They
/ are positive that he will not rest quietly
under such words "for mere lucre you
| change your position over night, without
| thought of the embarrassing position in
| which you place your government by this
| action"
| The official secrecy with which Mr.. Wal
| laces resignation has been shrouded for
some days was dispeled last night by the
| issuance of statement from Washington
| by Secretary Taft.
A representative of the New York Times
| saw correspondence in that city last night
which showed eonclusively that Mr. Wal
| lace did not seek the post from which he
| recently resigned, but that it was offered
| to him in an official letter, sanctioned by
| the President.
| convened in Philadelphia last October Stuy-
vesant Fish asserted positively that he had
recommended the selection of Mr.. Wallace
as chief engineer of the canal to the Presi-
| dent. In talk with Times reporter he
| said that Mr.. Wallace was the most expert
| engineer in the United States, and that the
President had asked him to name man
whom he thought was capable of superin-
tending such work.
Mr.. Fish also said that the place made
vacant by Mr.. Wallace leaving the Illinois
central would be kept open for him should
ne see Mt to return to the United States.
Mr.. Fish also said that Mr. Wallace was
the most expert civil engineer available
for the canal.
lace's confidential representative last night
and showed him the statement issued by
Secretary Taft at Washington WaIlace's
representative said:
1T is not Mr.. Wallace's nurnosa tn r,ake
any statement contradictory to what the
PRESIDENT has said. 1 am positive however
lnat ne VIII not stand by and permit his
name to be impugned NV chief comes
from the sturdy Scotch-Irish race and
more than that. he is a man of the strict
est Veracity. When he accepted the place
II was his purpose to remain in charge Of
the construction of the Panama canal until
Its completion
When he went to the isthmus on his
last trip he was satisfied that every reuui-
sltlon he made would be promptly filled
nevertheless there was delay after delav
and, more than that. Mr.. Wallace expert
enced much difficulty in getting sufficient
manual labor even to start the work
frequent clashes came, and there was
much difficulty in securing prompt atten-
tion from Colonel Edwards who had charge
of the supplies for the canal construction
wi hen talked with Mr. Wallace this aft
that he would not make any statement con-
corning his position until he had not only
consulted with his counsel, but after the
President and Secretary Taft had made
their statements. He was very much hurt
that 1t should be charged that an offer of
an unusual salary should induce him 10
give up a post which was in truth the am
bition of his life. When he left the Illinois
sCentral railroad it was his purpose to re-
main with the government in the Panama
canal work until 1t had been ACCOMPLISHED
yet l know that he would not stand idly
by and countenance transactions which
would bring discredit to the government in
such great enterprise.
When l left Mr.. Wallace this afternoon
1t was evident that he was struggling I'M
der great weight of responsibility. / be-
ileve that before another week goes by
his lips will be unsealed and that he will
make statement which will conclus.Vely
show that he was justified in rendering his
resignation, and will cause an investigation
to be made that will place as many men
possibly more-behnd the bars than were
imprisoned when the government made it's
recent investigation of the post Office scan
dali
August Belmont declined last night, on
arriving in town from Boston, to say that
Mr.. Wallace was TO be executive head of
the 1nterborough's new railway projects.