Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-02

name of a single newspaper that had
printed the statement. Senator Nor
gan insisted that he produce that copy
of the statement before continuing
to discuss it.
From that time on Mr.. Cromwell
and Senator Morgan were almost con-
tir'ually engaged in tits of words.
Continuous Tits.
The senator told Mr.. Cromwell that
he had not been asked any questions
concerning Mr.. Wallace, and wanted
to know of the witness his purpose
in alluding to Mr.. Wallace.
rs it your purpose to contradict OF
TO impeacn the testimony" asked the
senator.
1T is my purpose to state facts.
was the reply.
Il repeat, is it your purpose to con
tradict or impeach Mr. Walace?' ask
ed the senator sternly.
Again the witness made the same
abswer. but when Senator Morgan, in
menacing tone. began to ask the
question for third time, Mr. Crom
well said
| If the facts contradict him. he is
contradicted; if the facts impeach
HIM. he is impeacned."
The interview between Secretary
| Taft. Wallace and Cromwell was des
cribed by the witness as painful in the
! extreme, that after Mr.. Wallace had
told the secretary that he was going
TO quit the service of the government
and enter the employ of private cor
poration his eyes were dimmed with
tears "and l confess that mine were
too, said the witness.
Here was a man called on to do a
transcendent work leaving US when
We needed him most" said Mr. Crom-
we'll. continuing his testimony, land
it looked as if all the work We had
done was about to meet with defeat
I'VE don't want any sermons about
ii. We want facts" said Senator Nor
gan and the witness replied:
Those are the facts"
Mr.. Cromwell said in reply to Mr.
Morgan that Secretary Taft's attitude
was one of great dignity and calmness
as he heard Engineer Wallace's state
ment that day. He stated that in sub
stance Mr. Wallace mad said on arriv
ing on the isthmus he had received an
offer from large holding corporation
in New York of $4,000, that he hat
re1rained from answering the cable
gram rendering the position for sew
eral days, when a supplemental offe
was made of $4,000 additional in thu
way of stock in the enterprise, max
irs $4,000 in all as his salary pc
year. This, he said, he could not light
~ put aside, as he had never anticipat
ed so great salary, and that he owes
duty to his family as we'll as t,
himself and he had decided to accep
: the place.
: What occurred at the end of tina
statement?' asked Senator Morgan
, There was painful silence" re
Piled the witness.
Why painful?" asked Mr.. Morgan
Because Mr.. Wallace had gOn
. down to the isthmus absolutely in ac
cord with every plan made for tn
work on the canal. He knew the wish
cs of the commission. He knew tn
! Importance of consistent effort, an
he went willingly. The fever perio
was approaching, and just at the me
ment when he was expected to do hi
best for the president and the countr.
he quit and left the work in the hand
, of subordinates. That was sufficient,
painful in ITSELF" said Mr. Cromwell
A Dramatic Moment.
Then came a dramatic moment. MI
Morgan had been plying question al
ter question to the witness, asking hin
! to detail conversations between Sec
rotary Taft and himself growing OIL
} of the resignation of Mr.. Wallace
which the witness refused to answer
Il will deal with you in the sen
ate, when the facts regarding the res
igEation of Mr.. Wallace come out,
said Senator Morgan.
And that is the only safe place t
do it," replied Mr.. Cromwell with burr
ing face.
The two men, scarcely five fee
} apart, looked at each other in ange
! but the strained situation was relic,
ed by Chairman Willard, who int
S rupted, saying that the witness ha
- possibly answered the questions pr
J, pounded.
t At an executive session held by tt
committee later. an effort was mac
/. to limit the range of Senator Morgan
J. inquiries. The senator. however, Il
l. sisted that his procedure was entir
ly proper, and would not consent
}, have the scope of the inquiry narro'
ed.