The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-02-14

WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 5.-John
f. Wallace, former chief engineer of
the Isthmian Canal Commission, to-
day testified before the Senate Com
mittee on Interoceanic Canals, which
is investigating the Panama canal af-
fairs. He related the details of his
selection as chief engineer and said
he made protest particularly against
what he called the red-tape methods
and a multiplicity of masters, and
then read a long statement.
He first spoke of the violent at
tacks upon me which Secretary Taft
and Mr.. Cromwell gave to the news
papers last June" and asked that
Judgment upon the justice of that at
tack be suspended until he had an
opportunity to explain to you why 1
think ii was absolutely uncalled for
and unjustihable." He declared that
the only basis for this attack was a
difference of opinion to decide for my
self when l thought the welfare of
the enterprise and my own welfare
justified me in resigning my position"
MY appointment he said, named
no length of time 1 was to hold it,
and 1 was liable to be dismissed at
any moment by telegraph. Such be-
ing the case, l believed then and be-
lieve now it was my undoubted per-
sonal right to resign whenever
thought it necessary to do so, pro-
vided l took good care that the work
in my charge Wuld suffer no harm
by my resignation"
Wallace continued that he came
North to have a private talk with Sec
rotary Taft to explain the real reasons
for his resignation to put myself at
his disposal to assist him if he desir5d
in securing my successor, etc"
when 1 found myself confronted
with both Secretary Taft and Mr..
Cromwell" he says, 81 contented my
self with giving as a reason for resign
ing the larger compensation 1 hoped
to secure in another employment. I
did so because l assumed that reason
would be accepted as sufficient for the
time being and avoid the discussion
of other reasons i'm the presence of Mr.
! Cromwell But l soon found that they
had both come to the interview de-
termined to discredit me and if pos
sible to destroy my reputation, simply
because l insisted upon resigning
when l had become convinced some
other man in my place could render
better service to the enterprise under
the conditions which with my concur
renee had been created"
Wallace expressed his desire to give
! to the committee all the information
in his possession resulting from a
years experience on the isthmus, and
in this connection said he would be
grateful for the opportunity to reply
to such criticisms as may have been
publicly made in any way affecting
my honor as a gentleman, my loyalty
as a citizen or my reputation as an
engineer"
In regard to the type of canal he
asked to be excused from eXamina-
ton until he had an opportunity to
examine the majority and minority
reports of the board of consulting en-
| gineers
Concerning his understanding of his
/ tenure of office, he read from a letter
written by the President at the time
the new Canal Commission was APP
pointed, reading that he would sub
stitute any other person whom he be-
lieved better equipped to perform the
| duties of commissioners. Wallace said
he thought that he had been placed in
a secondary position so far as eXer-
cising executive judgment was con-
cerned, after Shonts had been APP
pointed as head of the commission.
He realized, he said, that his position
was such that friction was bound to
occur betwe himself and Shonts and
himself and Cromwell.
The inquiry was pursued by Senator
Morgan to determine what Cromwell
had to do with it," Wallace then read
from a public letter issued by S Gre
ltary Taft saying that Cromwell through
designation Of the President, had been
acting in an advisory capacity on all
matters relating to canal affairs
Referring to a visit made by Sec
rotary Taft to the isthmus Wallace
said that Cromwell was a member of
the party and appeared to be acting
as a go between" i'm matters pending
between the Panama government and
Secretary Taft. Letters were read
showing that Cromwell had brought
about the appointment of Wallace as
president Of the Panama Railroad. The
first official notice of his appointment
to the Canal Commission came from
Cromwell, and in the latter's Office he
was sworn in. said Wallace.
Morgan examined the witness re-
garding his interview with Secretary
Taft in New York, at which Cromwell
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