Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
Mr.. sHONTS RESUMES
QUESTIONED BY THE SENATE
CANALS COMMITTEE.
Whether He Gives Up His Railway
Position Depends on the Presi-,
dents Wishes.

Theodore p. Shonts, chairman of the
isthmian canal commission, today resumed
his testimony before the Senate committee
OH interoceanic canals. Senator Taliaferro
had read the protest of Hudgins & Dumas
of New York to President Roosevelt against
the manner in which the commissary con-
cession had been granted to Jacob E. Mar
kei of Omaha, and urging its discontinue
anee, ON the ground that 1t had been en-
tered into irregularly The New York
flrm said the proceedings in connection with
the letting of the contract intimated col
fusion, and a predsposition to award it TO
Markell
Mr.. Shonts said the President had refer
req this protest to him, and he read the
reply he had made to the President These
documents Were made public at the time
1he change Hudgins & Dumas made in
tEelr bads after certain conditions had been
cared 10 their attention said Mr. Shonts.
made tlreir bid higher than that of Mr.
Market
Right of Cancellation.
referring 10 Mr.. Shonts' reply to the
President, wherein it was stated that the
commission had the right to cancel the Mar
KEEL contract upon giving thirty days no.
tiee, Mr.. Taliaferro asked Mr. Shonts to
point out in the contract the right of can
q
.he tiIhe the contract was let there was no
way IN which the contract could be can
ceiec SO long as the concessionaire lived I'D
to the terms of the concession.
1ne witness was examined at length con-
-cefning the difference between the Markell
and the Hudgins & Dumas bids
,heVertlhg again to the Markell contract.
Mf. Shonts said he understood the right
OF cancellation as he had stated in his let
ter to the President. but thai he had not
analyzed 1t from legal point of view.
was IL not your duty to do SOP" asked
Mr.. Talaferro
i suppose it was but then understood
II as said before" replied Mr. Shonts.
t.ersonalIy, however, / had little to do
with preparing the contract That was
done by Mr.. Ross
Mr.. Taliaferro asked Mr. Shonts for names
OF employees and their former railroad con-
recuons. The witness mentioned himself
as connected with the Glover Leaf route
Purchasing Agent Ross. the Illinois Cen
trai; Auditor Benson, the Southern Pacific,
and Chief Engineer Stevens, the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific.
Mr.. Shonts' Railway Connections.
DO you intend to continue your connec-
ton as president of the Glover Leaf?'
asked Mr.. Taliaferro.
That depends replied the witness
"On what?"
Well" said the witness, ''the President
spoke to me about that and told him that
on account of my large holdings did
not want to give up the presidency.
talked with President Roosevelt more frank
ly tnan l am talking with you. / did not
want to embarrass him. He said he thoua hit
there would be no objection to my holding
the place If l served without salary; that
is, If l was merely the nominal president" J"
Then you do not know what your inten-
tions are?" asked Mr.. Taliaferro.
- .4e President will tell me what he wants
me to do, l suppose" replied Mr.. Shonts.
In response to number of questions Mr..
Shonts said that he was now negotiating to
get rid of his interests in the Glover Leaf,
but that he did not know how these would
terminate.
Relations With Trunk Lines.
Mr.. TalateEro attempted to show that
all of the officials named had had intimate
relations with transcontinental lines. Mr..
Shonts said that the Glover Leaf was not
in any way associated with transcontinental
lines, but that the other roads mentioned
might be regarded as related to transcon-
tinentals, although they would not be SO
called in railroad parlance."
In referring to communications with Of
ficials the isthmus, Mir. Shonts spoke of
cable charges.
do you not think the government should
have it's own cable between the nearest
points of the canal zone and the United
States?" asked Mr.. Morgan.
II do. ana | have repeatedly recon-
mended it, said Mr.. Shonts.
The committee took recess until 2:15
O'Clock.