New-York tribune., 1905-06-28
MAY DISMISS WALLACE.
THE PRESIDENT ANNOYED
Resignation of Canal Chief Engineer
Not Yet accepted.
TFRoM THU TRIBUNE BuREAU.l


Washington, June 27.-The course OF Chief
Engineer Wallace Of the Panama Canal Com
mission. who has resigned as chief engineer and
member of the commission, to accept S6O.OOo
office from a New-York corporation, has caused
the gravest annoyance to the President and
Secretary Taft, and it has been intimated that
there has been some discussion of the ADVISABLE
ty of refusing to accept Mr. Wallace's resig-
nation and Of striking his name from the roll
of the commission The resignation or the cnlel
engineer has not yet been accepted.
The feeling is strong In administration circles
that Mr. Wallace, notwithstanding the fact that
he was under no contract for a stipulated time,
was under an implied obligation to remain with
the government and in charge Of the work ne
had undertaken to supervise for at least a rea-
sonabIe period. He had been consulted at every
step, and every change which could In any way
facilitate his work had been made. The ut
most respect had been paid to his views. and
there was no possible ground for dissatisfaction
his part.
The understanding of the situation which pre-
walls In Washington is that the chief engineer
gives no reason for his res1gnati ton except that
an offer more tempting from financial point OF
view has been made to him by corporation in
this country. For him to permit merely Pc
cuniary reason to induce him to desert the gov
ernment at critical time in the progress of the
is regarded by some officials disoyal in the
extreme not only to the government but to the
administration which has done SO much for him
It is appreciated, of course, that offer of
$50 600 year must be strong inducement to a
man whose present salary is only S2o0oo year,
with a furnished house thrown in; but that MT
Wallace should have permitted even so powerful
an inducenent to tempt him to adopt his present
course is regarded with grave disapproval, it is
said bv Secretary Taft and doubtless by the
President
It has been reported that the interview be-
tween Secretary Taft and Chief Engineer Wal
lace in New-York last Sunday morning was
stormy one. and the contrary is not intimated in
Washington It is we'll appreciated that Secre-
tarv Taft is a man of exceptionally even temper,
and that it takes great deal to rufie 1T, but it
Ca also appreciated that he abhors anything
savorine of disloyalty, and it is said that he
nressed his views to Mr.. Wallace in terms more
frank than welcome.
THE CANAL COMMISSIONS WORK
Various reports which have gained circulation,
presumably through sources friendly to Mr..
Wallace, have also contributed to the tension of
the situation. It is denied that the commission
Is dIatory in the methods it takes to procure
needed supplies, that Mr.. Wallace compelled
TO secure the approval of numerous subordinates
for every purchase he thought best to make. and
that other obstacles of like character were
thrown in his way. Since the commission was
reorganized, on April 3, its methods are declared
to have been busnesslike and expeditions.
EVERYTHING that the chief engineer ordered has
been purchased with ceerity and promptly for
warded to the isthmus. In fact, great has
been the expedition with which supplies have
been sent forward that the officials in the canal
zone have been compelled to cry for quarter, be-
cause Of the limited dock facilities at Colon
made it impossible for them to care for ship
ments fast as they were received Extra YES
sells have been chartered and everything possible
has been done to promote the work on the 18TH
mus.
A striking instance of the expedition with
which orders have been executed is reported in
the case of a large requisition for sanitary sup
plies of all kinds which was recently received
from Governor Magoon. Exactly ten days from
the date on which the cabled order received
in Washington the supplies were landed the
dock at Colon Mr.. Wallace empowered,
whenever the occasion demanded an emergency
r,rchase to make it with the signature of only
a single subordinate and in no instance since
the commission has been fairly reorganized has
any unreasonable delay attended the filling of
orders That the chief engineer can have been
moved to resign by any fear for his reputation
because of the failure of his associates to
operate with him is therefore said to be out of
the question
Mr.. wallace gave no intimation of his inten-
tton to retire to Chairman Shonts Secretary
Taft until he landed IN New-York. His cable
dispatch TO Secretary Taft merely said that he
was compelled to come to the United States on
urgent personal business, and the first news
Continued second