The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-30
CANAL COMMISSIONERS OUT.
THE PRESIDENT CALLS FOR
THEIR DESIGNATIONS.
Names OF the New Commissioners VIII Not
lie Announced UntIl Next Week-Rear
Admiral walker Calls a Meetlng OF
the Commissioners and All ResiEn.


WASHINGTON, March 29.-President
Roosevelt determination TO reoTganize
the Panama Canal Commission was partly
carried out to-day, when, through SEQ
rotary Taft, he called for the resignation
Of all the Commissioners.
A statement was made at the White
House this evening that owing TO delays
in hearing from men who had been asked
10 accept commissionerships the personnel
Of the new commission would not be an
nounced before the President left on his
Western trip next Monday, but IL was ex-
pected that the commission would be COM
pleted three or four days thereafter.
Although the Canal Commissioners had
been pretty thoroughly warned that most
Of them were 10 GO, the action Of the Presi-
dent in calling for their designations came
with unexpected suddennc-s. They had
maintained that they could not be eN-
pected TO surrender their places upon
newspaper talk. But the Commissioners
found to-day that the newspaper talk was
accurate.
Shortly after noon Rear Admiral John @.
Walker, chairman Of the commission,
received a note from Secretary Taft asking
him TO tender his resignation and TO secure
the designations Of his fellow Commits
sioners, Mr.. Taft asked Admiral Walker
also TO cable Major-Gen. George w. Davis,
a member of the commission and Governor
Of the Canal Zone, to forward his resigna-
ton.
Admiral Walker acted promptly. He
called a meeting Of the commission, OBJ
tanned the designations Of its members,
with his own, and telegraphed Gen. Davis
to join the procession. In addition to
Admiral Walker and Gen. Davis, the mem
bers Of the commission are William Barclay
Parsons, William II. Burr. Benjamin ".
Harrod and Carl Ewald Grunsky. The
designations of the Commissioners who are
in town were delivered TO Secretary Taft
at about o'clock. and were sent imme-
diately TO the White House.
1t is generally expected that only two
members of the pres, IT commission will be
reappointed by the President. They are
Mr.. Parsons and Mr.. Burr. The chair
manship. it is understood, has been offered
to Theodore +. Shonz, president Of the
Clover Leaf Railroad, who is with Secretary
Of the Navy Morton on the despatch boat
Dolphin, bound from San Juan, p. R., for
Fernandina, Fla. Mr. Shonz, it is said.
4
Two of the new Commissioners will be
John F. Wallace, chief engineer Of the
canal, and Charles +. Magoon, law officer
of the Bureau Of Insular Affairs. Mr..
Wallace will have paramount authority
over the canal construction. The name
of Horace c. Burt, former president Of the
Union Pacific Railroad, has been under
consideration for the Craftsmanship and
a.. D.. ill - -. L..
become a member Of the commission IL not
its head. 1t is said to night that Col Clar-
enoe r. Edwards, U. S. A. Chief Of the Blu
reau of Insular Affairs under the War De-
partment, can have place on the COM
mission
One Of the Commissioners said tonight
that he at least would have resigned some
time ago had it not been for a feeling Of
loyalty to the project and Of the vast mate
rial interests involved. He thought other
Of the commission had the same
feeling, and they we're resolved 10 keep
the machinery running and not 70 resign
until they were informed that the President
was ready to act.
There is a bitter feeling among some
Of the members, who maintain that the
would never have been
called for If the commission had been made
an independent body, instead Of being
put under the jurisdiction Of the War De-
partment. The trouble, they say, began
with that action. which they think was
unwise, 1t il alleged that the War De-
partment was anxious TO have greater
power in the canal project and that there
was an effort on the part Of certain officers
10 stir up trouble and TO influence the
President