The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-04

their proposal between ten and fifteen
thousand dollars n year. making II
equivalent to $60.o60 or $4,000.
He stated That the position vas al
especially attractive one. and such as
he had hoped TO obtain after the COM
pletion Of the canal-and thus only at
ter years Of further service on the 18TH
mus: hat the duties OF the new posi-
ton We're especially agreeable. and az
forded opportunities to make money
through investments. etc: further that
the position was such n good one that
ne did not consider that be could de
cline it: that life on the isthmus was
lonely and accompanied with risk 10
himself and wife. and was another resa-
son for accepting a better offer. He
considered that the holder Of the office
lad Il right to retire from it at his OPP
ton at any time"
When he finished Secretary Taft
thus addressed him:
Mr.. Wallace, | am inexpressibly
disappointed. not only because you
have taken this step. but because you
SEEM so utterly insensible Of the sig
niticance Of your conduct. You come
with the bold announcement that you
Quit your task at a critical moment,
on the eve of important work. and in
the midst of reorganization plans I'M
der which you accepted your position.
| must be allowed to remind you that
when you were employed by the COM
mission Il little over a year ago you
were only receiving Sl5,0o0 per ali
mum under your position and that your
- In. 49, N.~.., 49, -
10y yourself, $4,000. If you had not
desired the position you need not have
sought nor accepted it. but | under
stand that quite the contrary was the
case.
Now within twelve days after your
arrival upon the isthmus you send ms
a cable which read in the light oil
what you say todov, signifies your prac-
teal acceptance of an offer of anotheT
position, inconsistent with the perfor-
nance of your duties on the isthmus.
| am astoniShed hat you should be
So disregardful of the splendid opuor-
tunities of the position which Wolld
have made you famous the world over
by the honorable performance of your
duties Of chief engineer.
For mere lucre you change yoII
position over night without thought ~
the embarrassing position in which
you place your government by this
action, wne the engineering force:
on the ISthmus are left without G
real head and your department is moi
perfected in organization; when the ad.
visory board of engineers is to Assem-.
BILE under call CT the President within
two months and when | am departing
for the Philippines on public duty. All
this you knew as we'll as | knew 1t, but
it has mt had the least influence upo;
your action. Yuu have thought L!
yourself and yourself alone. | consld
er that by every principle of honor and
duty, you were bound to treat the sub
ject differently.
Mr.. Wallace, | do not agree witt
yOur idea of your rights, nor with your
idea as to your duties. | do not agree
that the Presidents order giving min
the right to discharge an unfaithfl:
commissioner gave you the right &C
abandon your duties at a critical mo-
ment.
Your duty in the premises is no
measured by your legal c~ontractiona
rights. 1t should be measured by tn,
high obligation Of a public officer, witt
a sacred allegiance to the governmen
it should be his honor and his pleas
ure to serve"
Under these circumstances, Mr.
Wallace, anG with great personal pair
and disappointment, l am bound to sas
that l consider tie public interest re
Quires that you ttnder your resignation
at this moment and turn yer the rec
ords Of your Office to the chairman o
the commission"
Mr.. Wallace stated That he deepI!
regretted tnat the secretary's point o
view was different from his own, en-
said that he would send his resignation
as soon as he got back to his hotel.
His resignation as commissioners
chief engineer and as vice president
general manager n director of III
Panama railway were then submitted.
1t is expected that his successor a
chief engineer may be announced in
few days.
The commission is in commun:ca
ton with an engineer of distinguished
ability VINO has been asked whethe
he will accept the position and an an
swer is expected from him probably to
morrow. Neither Secretary Taft no
Chairman Shonts would tonight iadi
cate the identity of the man who ia
been offered the place.