The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-07-01
TAFT UNJUST DECLARES
 ENGINEER ]. E. WALLACE
EXPLAINS HIS RESIGNATION FROM ISTHMIAY CANAL
 COMMISSION

Denies EmphatieaIIy It was For
 Lucre--Did Not Seek the Position
 Secretary of War Plainly Irritated at
 the Interview in New York-sup-
 posed That Ik Was to. be Private.
 Had Himself Kept silent Untl the
 Secretary Issued His statement--WiI- ? ling to Stay as Long as Desired
 Surprised When The oher was
 spurned. .@
 New York, June SO.-John F. Wallace, who resigned as a member and chief engineer Of the. Panama canal commits sion, and whom Secretary Taft charg- ed with leaving the canal work at a critical moment, gave a statement to The Associated Press tonight replying to Secretary Taft. After making the statement public MT. Wallace left the city. He said he was going to take a much needed rest and vacation and did not expect to return during the summer ...... --.-~s 5=
 MT. Wallace would not make public any of his future plans, and said that the work he is to take up will be an nouneed by the officials of the organi- zation with which he is to become con- nected when they deem it proper. Mir. Wallace said: ss. ..
 The primary causes which led me to tender my resignation as chief engin- eer5 of the isthmian canal commission were underlying and fundamental and I must emphatically resent the charge that my motive in leaving the work was a financial one.
 "A careful consideration of the en- tire subject has brought me to the decision that should disconnect myself with the work at the earliest possible date that 1t could De done without embarrassment othe administration or injury to the work,
 It is unnecessary to state the req sons for this decision except that in fairness should say that they involve no criticism or any act of the president or# lfe SeEfetarY or War,
 My final decision was arrived Ut as tlle result Of the six days uninterrupt- < sIi thou glt 4Fiitcls | M able to give the subject in all it's bearings during my yoyagle from New York to Colon, in May. Furthermore had pledged my self 10 my family to give the matter of { my resignation as chief engineer. or of any position which would require my continuous residence on the isthn1ns, serious consideration.
 ''It was at this psychological moment that I received a oablegram from New York offering me business opportuni- l ty which I was bound to consider. I therefore Immediately cabied the secre- targ of war requesting d conference and arrived in New York for that pur- pose on Thursday, June 22d.
 ''In the meantime I had addressed a letter to the secretary in which I con 1 firmed the request for an interview and also requested by annual leave of ab- tsence, which was part Of my original understanding with the isthmiam canal commission and which had requested 1 from Admiral walker in March, to take effect at our mutual convenience, some time later in the season, which request, however, was not compiled with or an swered owing probably to the sudden change made in the commission On the first of April
 "on my arrival in New York I was met by MT. William Nelson Cromwell, who stated that he was delegated by the secretary to arrange for personal interview with me and asked If I would
 meet him at the Manhattan hotel at Id a. m. Sunday, June 18th.
 While Mir Cromwell treated me with the stIavity and courtesy for which he is noted, he erdeavored to draw from me my reasons for desiring to see the secretary. II told him frankly that l did not consider 1t was proper for me to discuss the matter in advance of my interview, and also requested him l (Continued on Eighth Page.) --~-------s---- ----------- y --..- pNcnDAT rpTH1fyry Krp crrnn1