Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-28
NEW HEAD IS AN EXPERT
Believed That eoethals Will Stick to
Job Until Canal is suilt-He's an
Able Engineer and First Choice Of
General Maekenzie-Mo Friction With
Roosevelt.
Roosevelt,

S0CuTGu til0i hlliu vi AIItlAi NAO ssoNAN>
stick to the work Of constructing the
capal until the waterway was thrown
open to the commerce world. Mr.. Stew
ems twice declined to consider serving
on the canal He was urged finally to
go to Chicago to talk the matter over
with Mrs. Stevens. y
At the time, Mr.. Stevens had ac-
cepted an appointment to go to the
Philippines and supervise the con-
struction of the Philippine
railroads. Secretary Taft urged
him to accept transfer to the
canal, calling attention to the greater
promise of that place, and assuring him
he would relieve the administration OF
great embarrassment. The secretary
was about to start for the Philippines.
and the president did not want to leave
the canal in the hands Of man IN
whom they did not place full and Inn
plicit confidence.
Mr.. Stevens talked with Mrs. Stew
ems 1t is confessed now that the CLAM
our surrounding the office of chief en-
gineer of the canal the fact that the
salary was to be $4,000 a year instead
of $4,000, the amount fixed for the
Philippine office. and other features OF
the work which appealed to the profes-
sional instincts of Mr.. Stevens, caused
him to decide to take the appointment.
Mr.. Stevens threw himself into his
work with great enthusiasm. When
the president visited the canal he found
that he was making excellent progress.
that he had imbued his force with the
enthu4iasm and discipline which it Is
claimed, were lacking under Mr.. Wal
lace. b
{ But, It is said, that, while Mr.. Stew
ems was able to inoculate his subordin-
ates with energy and spirit to do or
die, he failed to, convince himself tnat
he was the man to carry the canal to
completion. Never having served an
public life, he was not accustomed to
the criticism passed upon his work py
members OF congress-, particularly OF
the canal committees of the two houses,
and nv newspaper and magazine writ
ers. including ,Poultney Bigelow, who
found fault with the way Things Were
going on the isthrnuss
BuL as the SclldlG
ing an exhaustive Investigation, vim
dictated the isthmian canal commis- :,
sion and methods observed IN connec-
ton with the construction OF the canal
and as congress in the sundry civil Dill,
which has passed both houses, gave
further evidence Of its confidence IN
President Roosevelt and his subordi-
mates by authorizing the president to-
!. do anything he saw fit in executing
the proect, it was believed Mr. Stevens
would be satisfied. Moreover, the pres
;ident approved the gSsan for building
the canal by contract drawn up by Me-
stevens and reco Ymended by Mr..
sShonts. When Mr.. Shonts presented.
his resignation to the president, Mr.
Stevens was notified he would b.
named chairman Of the commission
The chief engineer was consulted on
every detail in considering proposals
received from various contractors.
/ But as succeeding cablegrams We're
received from Mr.. Stevens lit became
evident he was not at all pleased with
the prospect that the association OF
contractors, with William ] Oliver at.
the head, should get the work of cons
struction. Mr. Stevens was not inter-
ested in the McArthur- Gillespie COM
bination. but he did object to some of
the financial associates Of the later Oils
yer organization. Indeed, In cable
gram to Secretary Taft he declared If
the Oliver bid should be accepted he
would resign.
Mr.. Stevens, however, did not await
the action OF the president upon the
Oliver proposal. Two weeks ago he
sent a letter to Secretary Taft tender
ing his resignation, and it was accepted.
Immediately. Following the accept
ance OF the resignation, the president
designated Maj Goethals to build the
canal.
What has been said still does not
give an adequate idea of the reasons
which caused Mr.. Stevens to resign.
The correspondent obtained last night
from one intimately associated with
Mr.. Stevens further explanation Of his
action.
'Mr. Stevens" 1t was said, "consid-
cred the moment the psychological one
for him to retire. He has been eighteen
months on the isthmus. He has been
working night and day, and takes his.
problems to bed with him. He is sick
and tired of the work, and in a letter
recently received from him he said:
I shall be glad when / get back into
private life and no longer see my name
in print He has found the climate
trying. Another year or two would
ruin his health He is a long way from
his friends. He cannot even have his
library on the isthmus because books
are destroyed by moisture. Having
children who are in school in the Uni
ted States he cannot have Mrs. Stevens
in Panama with him. He has done his
duty honestly and faithfully, and has
finished all the preliminary work. He
will return to Washington. and, in COM
panyi with Mrs. Stevens, will go to
Europe for long rest.
HE has received no offer of any kind
from any private firm. 1t would be
gross injustice to say that he has used
the canal as a stepping stone to
higher salaried place He has some
earned by lifetime of toll, and
it is about time that he should enjoy
himself. He had been considering the
Of resigning for some months,
but he was willing to give the govern
ment the advantages of his service up
to the time he thought he could be best
spared
1t Is denied positively that any fric-