New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-06
WALLACE HITS BACK.
urTACKS ". N. CROMWELL.
rous Shomts Incompetent = ieHS
Vrhg He Resigned.
rrro-n Ts~ Tribune Bureau

- that the Incompetence 81 Inai'ii'a'i
Ss--,s and The character and varied positions
xr-,ris-, Nelson cromwell were the factors
.,icb lei 20 his resignation
,ols Secretary Taft that did not want 20
s.rt "a $50 isihmUs as chief engineer, ssld
- Tsnace. Ny reason was that ] was maze
-, .s.espa-,zibIe with Mr.. Shonts ana MI
- Cor work on the canal. while Mr.. Shonts
,,..,sl agreement with the President that
:. sno.ls have free hand in the management
n matters felt Mr.. Shonts was not as
ii ,,,,arj6ed as was either business man
- administrator ard he was not an engineer
,h,,,ett I was to he director general OF the
ri work / thought Z: better to sacrifice my
,-,bitions regarding this work, which was 10 De
,,e BROWNING event Of my lfe. than remain TO
- inundated. forced 10 disobey orders or
create friction
after outlining his objections to William Mel
80, cromwell. Mr. Wallace said in reply 10 an
inquiry.
,bor,ehr about him as being the man who
A-opgbf about the safe Of the canal 10 the gov
.-n~Sert. who brought about the revolution IN
F.rsn7a. who assisted the government OF Psila-
20 ir making lis Investments; who is earned on
80 Automatic list Of that government ana VINO
- az inrssresfed I'm rlblic utilities the isthmus
r felf that a man mixed up in so many things
night have his mind perverted. and at some
fine -
..snl- would be p scandal. All the interests IN
Panama look upon CromUeu as their HleIu'
Sc is the principal stockhplder IN me faIlalila
American COMPANY. which handles ice ana cleo
tricty
When asked by Senator Morgan 10 say what
,svsed him 10 regard NJ. Cromwell with sus-
-icion. M wallace replied that he had looked
srer TIE report If the Panama Railroad Com
many and had discovered that its board Of d.
,ectors had declared a dividend Of more than
tlNn OoN in excess ~ what the road had earned
and had cf-e-ward sold bonds for money with
which "a repair its ships and rolling stock.
! then reached the final conclusion. said Mr..
Wallace. that 2 man who would thus advise
he government is a dangerous man and one
having tendency toward high finance
TELLS OF HIS APPOINTMENT.
NJ. Wallace gave the details OF his selection
rs chief engineer. and said he made a protest
particularly a-airs: what he called red tape
methods and q multiplicity q masters He
then read long statement. speaking first Of
the violent attack upon me- which Secretary
Taft and ST.. Cromwell gave 20 the newspapers
last June and asked thsI Judgment on the
;usi.,o IF trct attack VIII be suspended until he
"ha6 M opportunity "a explain tie YOU why
think f was very urcalled Tor a-d uniustif-
sble" IL 90. Jared that the only basis Tor this
R,ta.l 4se n difference Of opinion between them
~as O. rr~ -5-a- % decide for myself when
i7a--. -.a welfare f the enterprise and my
os~ -o-~--r Justified me in resigning my po-
SIT
.s..:s-a-.~ he added. named no
IN. ,... t-a= - ho-I g. and 1 was liable
o. 81 ANY moment by telegraph
-. --a -z-e. ] believed taen. and be
.a,. s.~ s. --s- nv urho-atc1 personal right
ra -...--7 -- 70 ---erg- ,1auenj ii necessary to
r. l-s -a-k aS-1da-t care that The
,e.- r ~ -.-re w0Ei5 suffer no harm by
-; Ta~re =aI -GaI he came North TO
hr. .r.-dt, ralz T-ith Secretary Taft 10 ex-
ffs.. .-e r7-, reasons for ,ris resignation TO
fa. v's e his disposal 70 assist him in
-- e ae desired. ny successor. When I
1417r ---zais Confronted v-zh both Secretary
T.n arf 2f- C-ouueIL'' he continued i con-
tenieI rrs,.s with giving asa reason FOR resign
ngt-e larger ee-t-eusa-ion hoped TO secure in
s-s--e- rr,rif.-77e-- did SO because / as
slr'ad that reason would - accepted as sufi-
c.--t f'r t.e time being and avoid the discussion
of Other reasons ID the presence Of NJ. C-om-
well But soon found that they had both come
70 the interview determined discredit ne and
= possible % destroy my reputation, simply
because insisted upon reEigniug when had
become convinced some other man in my place
could render better service 10 the enterprise
un6a- the conditions which with NY concur
renee had been created
NJ wallace expressed his desire 70 give 10
the committee aI The information in his pos
session. ra-altlug from a years experience on
the iethrlus aud said he would be grateful lof
the opportunity 70 reply 70 such criticisms as
my have been publicly made in any way d.
fe-tfrg riv honor a. a gentleman, my loyal'y
M citizen Or my reputation as an engineer
In rsra-5 ro ,fe type Of canal he asked TO De
excused from EXPRESSION until he had an oppor-
,,,ri,v - examine the majority and minority
r.purts ~ the board Of consulting engineers
Concerning his understanding OF his tenure OF
Office 10 read from a letter written by lhe
President a. the time the new Canal Commission
was appointed. saying that he would SUBSTITUTE
any othe~ person he believed better equipped 10
perform The duties Of commissioner MI. Wal
lsne ssi6 he left the isthuus on June TO- anu
had ~ that time made up his mind to resign as
chief engineer. Re said however. that ne hao
expected 10 remain with the commission ana
give Il the benefit Of his advice on all matters
but this relation he said. depended on the III
tsrvlew he expected 20 have with the secretary
Of War one Of the reasons FOR his withdrawal
ne said had been that he had made many MS
takes In his attitude toward the canal ana mat
Secretary Taft and Mr.. Cromwell had made
mistake In sizing up his adaptabihties- ne
thought that ne had been placed in secondary
position. 50 far as exercising executive Judg-
menr was concerned. after Mr.. Shonts had
been appointed as head OF the commission. He
realized, he said that his position was snch
that friction was bound TO occur between him
sef and Nj Shonts and himself and Mr.. Cron-
We'll The inquiry was pursued by Senator
Morgan 70 determine what Mr.. Cromwell had
10 DO with il"
AZ Wallace Then read from a public letter