The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-08
But Taft Requires Fortnight to
Think About It
M'ARTHUR- GILLESPIE co.
NOW WANT TO GET HEARING
After Conference With the President
and Mr.. Taft, Secretary Loeb Gives
Out Statement-oliver Goes
to Knoxville.

Washington. February 4--Secretary
Taft held a conference today with the
President regarding the Panama canal
contract for the purpose of determining
on a course of procedure The President
and Secretary have before them the
completed bid of w. ]. Oliver and his
associates. Secretary Taft said he be-
lieved an early decision should be reached
in justice to the people who have their
money tied up as security.
After the conference between the Pres
ident and Secretary Taft. Secretary Loeb
gave out the following statement:
1.-The bid of the Oliver-M cDonald-Peirc
combination has been received and ex-
amined, and meets the formal require
ments. Mr.. Paul d. Cravath, on behalf
of his clients, the Macarthur Gillespie
combination has requested a hearing be-
fore final action is taken. In addition
to granting this hearing the secretary
of war and the isthmian canal commits
sion will make as thorough an examna-
tion as possible into the qualifications
experience, business standing and
achievements of Mr.. Oliver and his asso-
ciates, and into the responsibility of the
sureties
Secretary Tart and the commission
will probably need a fortnight TO COM
plete a full examination of the bid and
report to the President"
Secretary Taft later in the day made
known to Mr.. oliver the result of his
talk with the President and framed a
letter to Judge O'Brien, divers counsel,
informing him just how the matter stood
This letter stated. among other things
that the President was very much in
clined to give the contract to Mr.. Oliver
and his associates, but that he would
not surrender his right to reject all bids.
even after the further hearing has been
given to the Macarthur, Gillespie COM
bination.
Mr.. Oliver will leave here tonight for
his home in Knoxville, Tenn.
Stevens May Resign.
The administration has been brought
face to face with the alternative OF re-
jecting all bids for the construction of
the Panama canal by contract or losing
the services of Engineer John r. Stevens.
This is the reason for the delay of Pres
ident Roosevelt. Secretary Taft and
Chairman Shonts of the canal commits
sion in acting on the Oliver bid. An effort
has been made TO get MT. stevens 10
change his mind but he has continued
obdurate and the indications are that
the administration will accede to his re-
quest and the construction will be con-
tinued by the government.
This information in reference to the po-
sition taken by Mr. Stevens comes from
n source that cannot be doubted, but it
has created some surprise on account
of the testimony given by Mr.. Stevens
before the Senate committee on inter-
oceanic canals a year ago. He then said
he favored building the canal by con-
tract. He was of the opinion that con-
tractors would be In better position
to deal with the question of laborerS
Since then he has gone over the canal
plans carefully and now he expresses the
belief that the canal can be constructed
by the government within period OF
ten years.
His friends have advised him that II
a contract is let for construction he Will
be robbed of the credit of building this
great waterway. Frequent exchanges OF
cableerams between Washington and the
isthmus have resulted in demand by Mr.,
stevens for the acceptance Of his resigna-
lion IL the contract Is awarded
1t is asserted by certain senator's who
have taken an unusual interest IN an
matters relating to the canal that II half
of the bids for the canal construction
are accepted It will mean that the ad-
1ninistration has determined to dispense
with Mr. Stevens as the director OF ca
nal construction.