Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-06
Says Secretary of War Almost
Cursed Him at the Famous
Interview
A YEARS WORK THROWN AWAY
Statement Made Today That the Sec
rotary Said He Had No Use for WAL
lace Except as Directing Engineer on
the Isthmus and Was Not Asking for
Latter's Advice.

Washington. Feb 6John +. Wal
lace, former chief engineer of the 18TH
mian canal, was again before the SEN
ate committee on inter-oceanic canals
today He gave q minute account of
the conditions he found on the 18TH
mus, and the difficulties he encoun-
tered in getting material and supplies,
and the delays that occurred in filling
to have orders expedited, he said, he
received word from Admiral Walker
that cablegrams cost money. 1t was
a delicate hint, he said that he had
better not use the cables so much.
Wallace said he did years work,
that his successors had no benefit of
his analysis or recommendations,
because" .he said, "the secretary Of
war told me he did not want it and had
as directing engineer He was so an
CRY in his treatment that he all but
cursed me-
Washington, Feb 6.-"Too much red
tape and too much Cromwell" de-
clared John Findley Wallace to the
senate committee on interoceanic cam
ais yesterday, caused him to give UP
his position as chief engineer Of the
lsthmian canal commission.
Mr.. Wallace proved an interesting
witness He was frank In his state
ments and very frankly admitted that
he and Secretary Taft did not part
the best Of friends when he rendered
his resignation He said his appoint
ment was for no definite length of
time and that he was liable to be dis
charged by cable, while when he re-
signed, however. Secretary Taft said
he should have given a years notice,
nor Mr.. Cromwell could dictate his
rights. He said both Mr.. Taft and Mr..
Cromwell sought to discredit him and
now he Is willing to tell all he knows.
Mr.. Wallace declared the multiplicity
of masters In connection with the cam
al was as bad as the red tape; he did
not like the attitude of Mr.. Cromwell.
whom he characterized as "go-be-
tween" and intimated that he was too
busy as an adviser and also criticised
the course pursued by Chairman
Shonts He said he thought he was
better fitted than Mr.. Shonts for the
actual direction of the canal work
CromweII's Business Dangerous.
He expressed particular dislike for
Mr.. Cromwell, who, he said, had done
several things with the railroad prop
erty which I questioned and seemed
to be the controlling force in the man
agement of the property. / considered
he was doing business along DANGER
Gus lines"
IF l catch your meaning" suggested
Senator Morgan, "a part of your bust
ness when you rendered to Secretary
Taft your resignation. was to shake
Cromwell off your shoulders"
You have caught my meaning" re-
piled Mr. Wallace. He then went on to
explain that he thought Mr.. Cromwell
to be mixed up in SO many local enter
prises on the isthmus that his views
might be perverted and If adopted by
the commission scandal might be the
result.
One of the acts of which Mr.. Wall
lace complained was that in which he
asserted that the Panama railroad the
year before it was taken over by this
government had declared dividends of
100000 more than it had earned and
had then issued bonds for the rebuild
ing and improving of the property.
Out of Uncle Sans Pocket.
This, declared Mr.. Wallace, meant
that that amount of money had been
taken out of the pocket of Uncle Sam.
He explained that Mr. Cromwell had
been counsel for the road and said the
action bordered upon high finance.
Referring again to his reasons for
withdrawing, Wallace said he had