Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-07-11

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On the showing made by the war de-
partment at Washington as to the rea-
son for Chief Engineer Wallace's resig-
nation of his position at Panama
one must think that Secretary Taft's
stern words to him were justified. The
chief engineer of the great canal, only
a few days after the reorga sization of
the commission, received an offer by
cable from wealthy New Workers of a
position paying more than twice as
much as that held by him under the
government. Thereupon Mr. Wallace
cabled for permission to go to New
York, received it and hurried away.
Meeting Secretary Taft by appoint
ment in that city, he prepared TO lay
down his duties as chief engineer, but
suggested that he would be glad to re-
main q member of the Panama COM
mission or dc any work for it that
did not require his absence from New
York. Not only could he make more
money there than on the iSthmus but
life in the latter place was lonely"
and yellow fever was not unknown.
Secretary Taft in a considerable num-
Der of well chosen words replied that
he did not admire Mr. Wallace's con-
ceptiOn of duty. He reminded Mr..
Wallace that the government had Civ
en- him a task to perform which would
have made him famous through
out the world, had raised him from a
position paying $4,000 a year TO one
paying $4,000 year and had accept
ed his suggestions as to bow he might
be assisted in carrying on his work.
Then only a few days after he had
expressed his satisfaction with condi-
tons he had suddenly abandoned his
post of duty for mere lucre." AS for
further service to be performed in
New York as a secondary considera-
ton to his work for his new employ
erS, the secretary declined to consider
it. He was not prepared to dicker
with a man who had made so clear a
revelation of his ideas of duty. So
he demanded and received Mr.. Wal
lace's resignation.
Everybody knows that President
Roosevelt is an all-round athlete but
it is not, perhaps, so generally known
that he has gathered about himself
cabinet of men whose tastes are sim
liar to his own. OF the cabinet Off
GERS chosen by President Roosevelt,
Messrs. Shaw, Taft, Moody, Metcalf
and Cortelyou are men who delight in
telyou have each achieved distinction.
Secretary Metcalf is a Yale graduate
and as a freshman rowed stroke on his
class crew. He played base ball, the
old-fashioned type of foot ball, rode the
bicycle and was an expert swimmer
in his later years Mr.. Metcalf has
taken principally to shooting, fishing
and golf. Postmaster General Cortel-
you, who was born and reared in New
York City, played base ball until he
entered college, and at Georgetown
and Columbia was the crack pitcher
for the varsity team. Notwithstand-
ing his $50 pounds, Secretary Taft's
chief sport is horseback riding with
golf, yachting and boxing as divers
ions. Tim Murnane, the base ball
writer, declares that the profession Of
base ball lost a star catcher when, in
1876, William H. Moody, the present
Attorney General, with a Harvard
sheepskin in his hand, turned to the
law. Mr.. Moody was captain and
catcher of the famous Haverhin club.
and when he entered Harvard in 1872
as a freshman was placed behind the
bat on the varsity team. Secretary
Shaw, of the Treasury Department,
finds that the horse satisfies all his
desires for recreation and sport In
fact, the President on his Wyoming
is perhaps the only equestrian who
can follow the Iowa man on his ia
yorite mount, Prince.
-
Besides serving as special ambassa-
dor of the United States to receive the