The Washington herald., 1907-02-08
STEVENS ISSUES FIAT
Will Leave Canal if Work Is
Done by Contract.
OLIVER CONFERs WITH TAFT
Lowest Bidder Believes He Has Com
piled with Presidents Request as to
AssOeiates-Mr. ROOOSeveit May In
sIst on Governments Doing work.
McArthur-GiIIesPie Gets Hearing.

John F. Stevens. chief engineer Of the
Panama Canal, has become 4. prominent
figure in the consideration Of the contract
which the administration may award for
the construction OF the waterway
It is said here on good authority, and
so far it is undenied. that Mr.. Stevens
has Informed President Roosevelt that If
the canal contract is awarded to any one
he viii throw UP his job II is most evil
dent that Mr.. Stevens has IN some way
entered into the consideration Of the con-
tract scheme with material effect.
There were various conferences on the
contract matter yesterday. William J.
Oliver Of Knoxville. who. on January Y.
made the lowest bid for the contract. and
who since then has reorganized his forces
and presented 10 the government the fea-
lures Of his new organization, saw Secre-
tary Of War Taft in the afternoon. Neither
would discuss he matter after the con-
ference. A statement on MI divers new
proposition had been promised from the
White House. It finally came out, but
contained no announcement Of decision
further than that Mr. divers proposition
that Paul Cravath, counsel for the Nc
Arthur Gillespie Company, the only rivals
Of Mr.. Oliver and his associates. would
be given another hearing.
oliver l. Confident.
The Oliver forces think the announce
ment means that the new combination
viii be given the contract II the govern
ment adheres TO its plan OF building the
canal by contract There is a strong
feeling, however, that the President NAV
decide that il would be better to con
tinue the work under the present system
This could e,sily be accomplished by a
mere announcement that none Of the bids
submitted were satisfactory
The whole contract scheme viii be ex-
planned 10 Congress within few DAYS by
Secretary Taft or some Of the officials OF
the Canal Commission Arrangements
have been about completed for hearings
before the Senate Committee on Inter
oceanic Canals. and before the House
/ Committee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce, and possibly before the Ap-
preparations committees
II is not known what further representa-
tiOns Mr.. Cravath. as the representative
Of the McArthUr-Gillespie Company. IL pre-
. kt+tte-tl 10 MAKE II Is certain. however
that he has succeeded in preventing action
for a considerable length Of tine already.
Presidents Interest Unknown.
No one knows just what the President
intends 10 do. il is known that some Of
his advisers believe that the bid Of Mr..
Oliver is too low, and that il would be a
risk 20 accept g. The Oliver people. how
ever, say that as long as they secdre their
bid with a 100000 bond it IS not the bust
ness OF the government how low the figure
really is They are confident that they
can make a good profit al SO per cent OF
the total cost OF construction. although
there are many who believe that this is
impossible.
Mr. Oliver went % Knoxville last even
ing. he Will remain at home until some
decision is reached or until he is called
here by the President