The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-24

tary Taft should abuse his official posi- tion to place in public record statements calculated and apparently intended to af- feet my reputation for veracity, such as he would not make to me ds one man to another. face to face"
 MT. Wallace calls attention to the of ficial report of Governor Magoon. Now first presented by Secretary Taft on condi tfons existing on the isthmus during the months of May, June and July, 1905, which he says was not asked for or writ ten until his (Wallace's) testimony before the committee had been printed which indicates that 1t was prepared to offset my testimony" He therefore, asks ne com mittee to put in the record all telegrams and reports since Secretary Taft has gone far as to make public personal and confidential correspondence on this subject"
 Criticises Gorgas.
 The letter denies the accuracy of the statement dictated by Secretary Taft and MT. Cromwell of the conversation between the three at the Manhattan hotel par ticularly that part wherein he says he Is credited with criticising George Gorgas, chief sanitary officer of the isthmus. lie declares that his remarks were mainly the views of Governor Magoon and were so stated. Continuing the letter says:
 Secretary Taft, while publishing in his appendix my letter of March 15, 1905, in full in his statement proper says:
 ''In the letter of March 15. which MT. Wallace wrote, and which have already introduced. he uses the expression. I pre- fer to remain on the firing line,' indicating t,at at time he had not thought of leav- ing, where the post of importance was for the chief engineer.
 ssSeprptaf.y Taft dopS me a gross iriuS- tice in extracting this phrase from a sentence with vital modifying clauses and emitting the context. l desire to call the attention of the committee to the impor- tant words he omits I prefer to be on the firing line provided I receive proper support and an impossible situation is not created in Washington This letter was written prior to any thought on my part Of leaving the service, and prior to the re- organization of the commission The fun- | d2mental reasons for my desire for per | sonal interview with Secretary Taft are | stated in that letter with premonition 1 of coming events. for I was not given proper support and an impossible situation | was certainly created In Washington for | MT. Cromwell, allied to many opposing | interests to those of the United States was 1 apparently permitted control behind the | scenes of the policy of the United states | in all Panama canal affairs.
 Sur on Work.
 "Secretary Taft In his testimony also l states that he Is sorry to have been mls- | led into the incorrect statements of MT. | Stevens views which MT Wallace regaros | as a slur upon his work
 | ''This action of Secretary Taft In casting reflections upon my work on mere suppo- 1 sitions as to my ability Is further proof | of hostility toward me which MT. Crom- well succeeded in installing in his mind. | -la,, +1,i Ia late 1 ts 10 | withdraw this unwarranted attack upon | my capacity as an engineer he chooses to | quote me as calling 1t slur' upon my | work when he must have known perfectly I well that MT. Stevens was the author or | that expression"
 After reiterating his former statements | that financial reasons were not the cause | of his request to be relieved and that ms | desire for proper authority and non-in- 1 terference with the conduct or the "ork was not due to personal ambition, MT. | Wallace makes the statement: Ihat al no time did the thought occur to me 10 | hold up Secretary Taft or anyone TOT additional aid or for compensation.
 MT Wallace continues: "Secretary Iaft | unwarranted assaults upon me are, now 1 ever. less astonishing If possible tcan ms | eulogies of Mir Cromwell. In his testimony on April 19 1906. he says: The impress | sion sought to be given that MT Crom- well has attempted to interfere in canal matters or to exercise great Influence In controlling the policies to be pursued IS wholly unfounded.' and that on June ls' | 1904, Secretary Taft said on the same SUD feet: MT. Cromwell has for some time | been charged by the President and myseii with general advisory duties in all Fan 1 anna canal affairs
 Directing Mind.
 ..On the isthmus during Secretary Taft's S
 visit in November 1904, MT. Cromwell was
 recognized as the really directing minu l in all that took place. Secretary Ial' | himself says: The negotiations were
 really conducted between MT. Cromwell
 and me- and then Secretary Taft adds I this statement: I never have had the
 slightest reason to suspect any other
 motive on Mir. Cromwelrs part than a
 loyal desire to help along the construc-
 ton of the canal Yet Secretary Iai'
 knew perfectly well that MT. Cromwei
 was trying to secure the payment ps l the United States of an improper claim | of the French Panama Canal company | which he himself at one time reported
 upon adversely and which, according tc | MT. Cromwelrs testimony. the President | finally disallowed on April IS, l@6 MT | Cromwels pressing a claim of this char | acter could hardly be a loyal desire te help along the construction of the canal
 ..Besides pressing the claim for his client | he was acting, as Secretary Tart wei knew. as counsel for the Panama re-