Arizona republican., 1905-07-07

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 to take charge of the forces of the northern army. Grant had been C graduate of West Point and had served in the Mexican war, but he had dropped out of sight when the civil war began. Yet it came to pass that he was discovered in his isolation, and his life and work became a part of history. It took a crisis to develop his great force.
 Today the people of the United States are looking for the exceptional man to take charge of the engineering work of the Panama canal and sue ceed. The problem to be met is tre mendous, and it is too soon to say that MT. John F. Stevens. who has been named as chief engineer. can solve it. His appointment came close upon the heels of the announcement that Mr. John F. Wallace had resigned.
 MT. Wallace, who was first named as chief engineer at a salary of $25,000 a year-$1O, 900 more than he had been receiving in his private situation-was set aside He took charge of the work and was believed to be capable of handling it, but he saw ahead of him a still greater salary, and sought-by inference-to persuade the United States government to increase the sal ary it had promised. In effect he sought to secure a greater salary by parading a new offer he had secured.
 Secretary Taft, however, considered that MT. Wallace had not acted with honor and credit. and, according to a recent dispatch, the secretary did not mince words when he replied to the action of the engineer. He charged MT. Wallace with a lack of a sense Of honor and with placing the govern ment in an embarrassing position and flor mere lucre." The secretary pointed out that Engineer. Wallace had expressed himself as satisfied with his salary and with the latitude given him in his work; yet before the engineer ing department of the work was fairly under way the chief engineer present. ed his resignation. Instead of tenn porizing with him, his resignat ton was accepted at once and the action of the secretary was endorsed by the presi- dent.
 Now it is to discover if MT. Stevens is the man for the place. The New York Sun the other day covered the situation in this terse fashion:
 Somewhere on earth there is an en- gineer chosen by destiny as the future wearer of the highest honor that caE come to one of his profession
 Fame has no reward equal to that which awaits the man who shall build on the best possible plan in the least Panama and open the same to the worlds commerce.
 "The name of this fortunate mortal, manifestly. is not John Findley Wal lace.
 Nor is the name necessarily that of the next. engineer who shall enjoy. by the presidents appointment. the bOundless opportunity for distinction which MT. Wallace has possessed and reIinquished."
 Whether MT. Stevens is to be the man of destiny is for him to determine for himself, assuming that health and strength, now his possessions, are to be maintained to back his capacity. We take it that there are not many men equal to the stupendous task cut out for the engineer of the Panama canal, but there are some men some where who are capable of taking hold and winning fame. It may be that 1t will take more than one man, yet they will surely be discovered before the task is completed.
 The United States has assumed a big undertaking-the money is pro- vided and the plans are drawn. These plans may have to be changed. yet that is to rest with the exceptional man. who may prove to be Mir. Ste vens. Fame Of the highest order is awaiting the engineer who can make a ship canal out of an ugly ditch and a mass of dirt and rock to be cut through and removed The work is outlined and the opportunity is of fered. Yet it is a fact that the really exceptional man of history has gener- ally been a man but little known pre- vious 70 his sudden appearance upon the scene of activity. MT. Stevens has been tested and not found wanting, and it may come to him to win the glory that attaches to the completion of such projects as the one just now attracting the attention of the world. Work on the canal cannot be stopped because one man steps aside. New men must be found when necessary. Let us hope that the selection of Mr Stevens will mean the real beginning of work that is to count