The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1905-04-05
NEW CANAL COMMISSION
Benjamin M. Harrod Only Old
Member Reappointed.

SOnnel VI INeW commission ana us
tributlon of Duties Among Them
Presidents Idea Of only Three Mem
hers Partially Carried Out.
Washington, Auril 4.-The president
has carried out his plans for the re
organization of the Isthmian canal
commission as to personnel and bust
ness methods, generally on the lines
of the legislation he suggested to con
gress at the last session, which faileo
in the crush of business in the closing
hours.
Yesterday, within half an hour after
the presidents departure from Wash
ington, Secretary Taft, directly in
charge Of canal matters, made public
the personnel of the new commission
and the division of duties among them
Only one member Of the old commits
sion, Benjamin M. Harrod, was reap
pointed.
Finding he was obliged legally to ap
point seven commissioners, the presi
dent did SO, but he carried out his
plan by making three of them prac
tically the commission. The Other
four, though bearing the title of com
missioners not only receive a lower
compensation but are assigned much
smaller fields Of activity.
Each Has a Special Field.
The president also has carried out
his scheme of dividing up the work
of canal building among the commits
sioners, so that nominally acting as a
body on stated occasions, each indi
vidual member would operate IN a
special field.
The head of the commission Is 9
trained railway man chosen for his ad
ministrative ability in the financial
and purchasing field; the new COVER
nor of the zone Is a lawyer who also
has had to do with state affairs; the
engineer commissioner already is
known for his abilities In the eXecu
tion of the practical work of canal
cutting.
The other members Of the commits
sion are placed to comply with the
law as to the number of the commits
sion, but are men Of high ability as
hydraulic engineers. Secretary Taft
told them that they were expected to
show results and that is said to Re
the key note for the presidents ac
tion.
The personnel of the commission is
as follows:
Theodore p. Shonts, chairman;
Charles e. Magoon, governor of canal
zone; John F. Wallace, chief engineer;
Rear Admiral NJ. T. Endicott, U. S
NJ. Brigadier General Peter C. Hams.
U. S. A, retired; Colonel Oswald M
Ernst, corps Of engineers, U. S. A., and
Benjamin NJ Harrod.
The commissions of Messrs. Shonts,
Magoon, Endicott, Hams and Harrod
were delivered to them yesterday and
they took the oath of office as 18th
mian canal commissioners. They i'm
mediately called upon Secretary OF
War Taft and it is expected they will
enter upon their duties at once.
Reorganization Plans.
After their induction into office
and their consultation with Secretary
Taft the commissioners talked over
the reorganization plans. Under the
presidents order the actual headquar
ters of the commission will b2 in Pan
ANA and probably there will be con
siderable transfer of employees from
Washington to that place.
Chairman Shonts, with Governor
Magoon and Engineer Wallace, will
spend most of his time in the zone
but as the administrative offices are
directly in Mr. Shonts' charge he will
be in Washington more or less. Tne
purchasing agent of the commission
probably will establish himself in New
York
Rear Admiral Endicott and Colonel
Ernst at present are charged with i'm
portant duties in connection with the
navy and army. The admiral is chief
of the naval bureau of yards and docks
ana Colonel Ernst is not only in charge
Of important river and harbor work IL
the neighborhood Of Chicago but is
president of the Mississippi river com
mission and a member of the interna
tional deep water way commits sion
which is to meet during .he summer
at Toronto. Their continuous pres
ence on the isthmus is not necessary
and it probably will be quite sufficient
if they are there only long enough to
attend the regular quarterly meetings
at Panama.
Colonel Ernst will be relieved Of tho
river and harbor work in the Chicago
division by Lieutenant Colonel w. H
Bixby and come here at once. Colonel
Ernst will continue to act as presi
dent of the Mississippi river comnl'
sion and member of the international
deep water way commission
Governor Magoon will reside perm
anently on the isthmus and has re.
signed his present position as law
officer of the bureau of insulaI affairs
and of the commission.
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