The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-13
There Can Be No Letting Of
Canal Contracts Earlier.
Conditions Not Yet Understood
by the Government.
BLAME PUT ON TAFT.
Wallace Says lie Had Necessary
Information.
But Secretary Would Not Let
Him File a Report.

Him File a Report.
Washington. Feb 13.-There can be no
letting of contracts for canal work in
Panama under two years. This is the
statement made at the offices of the
canal commission. ia response to the
suggestion of former Chief Engineer
Wallace. who recently testified before
the canal committee of the senate, and
who declared that the only way to cure
the evils discovered ana which viii in
evitably develop in connection with
canal building
This is because the government does
not possess enough information on
which to base intelligent plans and
specidcafsons. ana two years win be
necessary in the development of data
upon which any contractor could be in
ddced t5 touch the canal work.
No ore about the commissions head
quarters viii answer Mr- Wallace's
statements specifically and be quoted.
but here has been the keenest sort of
Watln kept on all that he has said, and
some 0l his assertions are strongly
questioned. The only suggestions he mas
made au which all are silent are those
10 Qle eff. that the government threw
away an ,ne results of his work on the
isthmus by refusing TO let him make
rspprt in which he summarized the re-
sulfs Of mis- observation and work 1t
is ueThaps true in This connection that
SECRETARY Taft was so provoked at what
he considered Mr.. Wallace's deseruon
OF thu government at a critical time that
he Fffused to let him make a report anc'
cut nilI of absolutely from all official
CONNECTION with the government When
this is told all is told that Wallace has
brought out in his hearings before the
committee, that is censurable and the
promised sensation which was so eager
ly sa1ght by Senator Morgan a 3, some
other members of the senate falled to
materialize
Taft Relies on Cromwell.
As to the strong objections which Mr..
Wallace has raised to William Nelson
Cromwell and his. connection with the
canal project, it is generally aanll5te9 ..5tes,i
that Mr. Cromwell has been consulteu
by the secretary of war at all stages OF
the canal work, and that the secretary
has al times leaned on him strongly. Mr.
CrOUwells knowledge Of the conditions
on The isthmus and his assOctat tion
with big projects was such that the gov
eminent found him almost invaluable
He had long been connected with the
French Canal company, and it was
through him that the administration
was able to conduct the finally success
ful negotiations which led TO our ac-
curing the French holdings on the
Z
vantage through his connections, and if
ne did secure emOlument, it was from
the Frenchmen, and not from this coun-
tr.'.
one of the first things which concern
ed this government when it acquired the
canal property was the Panama rail
road. There was sufficiently large
minority holding of the stock which
promised to be very embarrassing TO the
government Tt was admitted that the
United States could not conduct the
property and at the same time share
Responsibility with a lot of minority
stockholders
How Cromwell Got the stock.
Neither could the government go
into the stock market and buy up the
stock In the first place. it was real
ized that as soon as the United states
let il be known of how much import
ance was the possession Of the stock
1T would 90 up to a fabulous figure
and the spectacle would be presented
of the government of the United States
bidding against Wall street brokers for
the minority holdings in the road. Al
these things were as patent to Mr.
Cromwell as they were to the admins
ration. Without suggestion from
anyone in his personal capacity, h'
began a quiet campaign and before
any attention was attracted to his
opera tions he had bought in the stocl
and appeared in the office of the sec
.retary of war, not as greedy specu
.1ator, but as one who would serve thl
government I'm a patriOtic way. H.
offered the stock 10 the secretary o.
war. as the representative of the gov
erument. at mar The secretary bOugh
At. and 1Ir. Cromwell not only refused
70 advance the price Of the stock. bu
refused to accent ANYTHING for the ser
vice he had rendered
The secretary of war 50 greatly an
rreciated his services IN this connec
tfIon thot he addressed personal let
Ser TO him expressing the annreciatio1
OF the pn-orr rnent f0~ the service rAn
Here5. THE Sc one Of the reasons VIII
fEecrete~v Tnft believes in Wr. CrOn
EvveII retains Hf-7 as p etac7rho11er g.
the Pa7ar~a r7flr~~d and c0ne'71fs wifi
s57f-n fre7uent7v. There are rnarv othe
E1ittIe vet delicate. tasks which hav
been ne~e~e~ nv hnt which were q
FrcF p ri~hlv cOnF7ential nature the
cannot be discussed as yet