The Washington times., 1907-01-31
Belief That the President
viii Himself Assume
Charge of Work.
WiSeacreS Intimate Stew
ems Will Eventually Step
Down and Out.
divers Bid Still Held
Up, But May Again Be
Considered.

That the Government snail build the
Panama Canal IL now accepted by
many public officials 10 be the present
determination OF President Roosevelt,
II the tone man at the head" plan. as
long advocated by the President is car
ried out, that one man Will be the Prcsi-
dent himself. in the opinion OF these
same officials.
a the result Of statements given cat
at the White House last night. it seems
certain thar not only has the Admins
Jration failed 10 iind ". j divers new
combination satisfactory. bat il is not
positively decided that any contract viii
be let.
II the Government digs the ditch. the
one man !dea viii prevail, no matter
nov large a commission there may be,
is the opinion expressed by some. And
that one man is none other than the
President himself. Engineer Wallace
discovered this they cite, and got ont
IS quickly as possible but he failed TO
dc II gracefully and was vigorously con-
demned by the President Chairman
ShSuts has made .tue discovery. they
claim. but Lee has been more diplomatic
in leaving the job, and an is well and
harmonious between the present chair
man and the Secretary OF War AID the
President. Chief Engineer stevens. as
the new chairman OF the commission
viii be next to make the discovery, il
is declared. and these wise forecasJers
make the prediction that within a year
lie also will have retired.
President Will Dig Ditch.
The question then arises. who. il not
contractors. viii eventually dig the
ditch. and tie answer is, the President
himself. with the Engineer Corps of The
Jrmy. He knows that the army en-
gIneers ale thoroughly capable of such
a task, il is declared and that with
them there is no chance of failure. So.
hy the time the present administration
has come 10 an end, il may be sung in
a praIseWOrLhy manner throughout The
country, that the work is going on
nicely. under the Presidents direction,
after all other plans had failed. just
how much OF this glory may be shared
by Secretary OF War Taft would re-
main 10 be- seen.
That oliver has failed again in an eff
fort 10 obtain the contract now seems
certain. lie is bidiug his time. Uut lac
cannot prevent his friends from max
ing "A suggestion that ne is doomed 90
receive a rebuff from the Administration
can build the canal at a considerable
percentage under other competitors
They point out that the stand taken by
the President yesterday Was scarcely III
line with the statement OF Secretary 81
War Tart Monday afternoon, which was
To- the effect that az the conference that
morning. Mr.. Oliver had been informed
tnat If he could arrange satisfactory
combination he would be granted the
contract without further quibbling Oh
consideration OF amy other bidders.
VIII Consider Oliver Bid.
Contrary 10 this understanding, il Was
announced al the White House last
night that il was not certain that Ir
oliver would receive the contract. even
If his combination proved satisfactory.
The only pledge given him so Tar, II
was declared. is that. il ne secured sat
Isfactory partners. the Government vii
consider his bid together with that OF
The observation-disclosures combination
Mr.. Oliver viii have opportunity OF
amending his bid, BE- he likes. possibly
raising the nRuTe a bit. even, and 81
will the Macarthur Gillespie Company
81 IL wishes 10 Te-enter TIE composition
Ia view of previous official statements
that the Macarthur Gillespie bid wa
considered rather higher than ueces
sary, and more than the Government
wanted 10 pay, this latest view is con
the Administration would be glad Il
have thu bids raised. and then turn
Them all down on the ground that the!
are too high.
I'VE have informed AIR, oliver tina
We are going 10 start all over again,
said an official OF the Administration
today. Mr.. divers bid will be scrut
inized just as carefully as that OF Ia
other arms IL ne goes on with IN
project far enough to secure the imam
ciaI backing that is needed as a guar
antee OF good faith. and the Admits
tration Will be free 10 reject his bid
Ii is possible that both the bids viii bG
throw out and that Chief Er ginee
Stevens, as the new head of the com
mission, will be ordered TO proceed wit
the work for the Governments tasl
that he is perfectly able tot undsUtak
and carry out"
Presidents Plan Is Plain.
The Presidents latest stand on tn,
question was made plain in the following
statement given out from the Whit
House last night Is Secretary Loeb
Reports in the papers seem to in
tdicate a belief that the canal contrao