The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-11
WALLACE'S VIEWS.

John l. Wallace, formerly chief en-
glneer of the Panama canal. whose
controversy with Secretary Taft is still
fresh in the public mind may possibly
have been justified in refusing TO long
er continue In his position. II he felt
that tie method which had been adopt
ed was so strongly environed and
maintained that he could not improve
It, and il under that method, as
practical engineer and constructor. he
foresaw fatal disaster for himself,
there can be no question that he was
within his rights In rendering his res
ignation. That such was his opinion
and that the opinion was justified Is
confirmed by the most prominent con-
tractor and railway builder in Utah
who made an examination OF the Pana-
ma canal last yenr with View to bid
ding upon a part of the work. That
gentleman recently remarked that II
red -tapesm were permitted to prevail,
the canal would DOT be finished In a
hundred years However, IT may now
be conceded that the resignation OF
Mr.. Wallace will be fruitful of such
radical change and such Improvement
as to assure the utmost expedition con-
sistent with reasonable economy,
In the meantime Nr. Wallace aD-
pears before the Illinois Manufactur-
ers' Association In Chicago TO deliver
an address, and unfortunately for him.
self does not show in so good a light.
He becomes a severe critic OF the canal
project Itself and In this he is in un-
happy contradistinction TO the consld-
crate attitude which his successor has
occupied toward Mr. Wallace himself
Among other things stated by en-
Sincer Wallace is the claim that the
English. who are building a great rail-
road across the Isthmus of Tehuantc-
pee, II distance OF 176 miles from tide
water to tide water. Will have seized
all the trade before the Panama Canal
can be built, Mr.. Wallace asserts that
after the completion OF the road and
the Installation OF tie :,ecessary applI-
ances for the transfer OF freight, car
goes may be carried from shiphold on
the Atlantic to shiphold on the Pacific,
or vice versa for two dollars per ton,
The final conclusion is that the trade
VIII be so merged into British control
that even II the Panama Canal shall be
completed IT VIII be difficult indeed TO
divert thereafter the transportation to
the canal He does not hesitate TO say
shat there are advantages in the Te-
huantepec railway route over the Pam
anna route in the saving of both time
and money
1t does not require great engineering
ability To realize that these Views OF
Mr., Wallace are mere stuff and nom
sense. the vcriest fustIan. All OBJ
servers agree that large share of the
worlds activities is TO be transferred
to the Paciho shores, that in the COM
Ing generations the vast calm ocean
will be dotted with ships as is now the
Atlantic. The greatest freight carriers
on the seas Of the world are already
plying between American ports and the
Orient. and a large share OF their
commerce comes from Europe, from
our Eastern States and from Canada
The immensely OF freight traffic which
viii be developed within the next quar-
ter of century precludes the possibIl-
ity that the Tehuantepec railway
however carefully built pnd efficiently
managed, could initiate against the
Panama Canal when that shall be
opened One signal fact VIII answer
ell of the argument Of Mr.. Wallace, A
solid freight train three miles in length
would be required 10 transport the
cargo for a ship the size of one of
James ]. Hllrs great vessels the Min
nesota,
With The railways of the United
States carrying from the interior to our
own ports OF San Pedro, San Francisco