Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-07-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

The President and Secretary Taft
are deeply incenSed over what they
regard as the grave disloyalty of Chief
Engineer Wallace Of the Panama Canal
commission. Less than two months
ago the administration reorganizei the
commission. in so far as was possible
under the existing law, and Mr.. Wal
lace was retained as chief engineer
and made d member of the commits
sion, the president. after careful figur-
ing. managing to increase his compen-
sation to $25, 900 a year and furn-
ished house on the canal zone When
it came to perfecting the reorganiza-
| tiOn Mr.. Wallace was consulted al
every step and great respect was paid
to his views, his suggestions being
carried into effect wherever postal,
1t was assumed, of course, that Mss
Wallace had determined to make the
|
and that he would seek to have his
name go down in history as the con-
structor Of the great interoceanic aud
international project.
La the light of these facts the disap-
pointment Of the administration that
Mr.. Wallace should so soon after being
installed in his new place. deserted the
administration because he received an
offer more allurlng from the stand dpoint
OF dollars and cents can well be imag-
ined. There is no indication whatever
that anything other than the salary OF
$50, 900 year led to the sudden resig-
nation of the Chief Engineer. Num-
erOus reports that an excess of red
tape, of friction in the Commission, of
difference Of opinion regarding the
plan to be followed in the construction
of the canal have been placed in circu-
| lation but none of them appears to
have any foundation in fact. But their
circulations by friends of Mr.. Wallac t
| has CccasiOnel Increased bitterness
toward him en- the part of the admin
stratiOn, for it is felt. that be has
sought to beclOud the issue by throw
ing mud at his associates with view
to saving himself from the criticism
which Will naturely attend his course.
a careful examination of the situa-
tion III the Washington Office of the
canal Commission demOnstl ates that
there has been greater freedom in
the administration of its atfairs than in
any other department. oil the govern
ment. None Of the men connected
with the office Is IN adherent of red
tape and certainly neither Secretar y
Taft nor the President are advocates oil
the old style methods of the govern
nIent, On the contrary, the Washington
office consists entirely of young men.
capable, alert and up to-date in their
methods, and that they have accom-
plished much in their efforts to cooper
ate with the Chief Engin is manifest.
In one instance large order for drugs
and sanitary supplies of all varieties
was received by cable, filed with
labatory tested drugs and shipped to
the 18th mus SO that it reached there
precisely ten days after the order was
received in Washington
Some time ago Mr.. Wallace cabled
for twelve expert subordinate engi-
neers. The eligible list of the Civil
Service Commission was found to have
been exhausted and Colonel Edwards
in charge of the Washington Office,
Immediately telegraphed to the'twelve
leading educational institutions in the
country which maintained engineer
Continued on last page.)