The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-24

congratulate you who are to profit by your services in your new position.
 With all good wishes for your fu- ture, and with the heartiest thanks on behIaf of the government for what you have done in the past eighteen months in the vitaliy responsible position you have held. believe me.
 Ever sincerely yours,
 Theodore Roosevelt"
 Secretary Taft tonight called atten- ton to the fact that the work of or- ganizing the Commission had been completed and that as Mir. Shonts had been brought here to assume the exec utive duties necessary to such organ ization. his continued presence is not absolutely essential. The Ryan Bel mont syndicate which has now secur- ed his services sought them some time ago.
 Before doing so. however, Paul Nor ton. former Secretary of the Navy, and now president of the Eduitanle Lte Assurance Society, called on President Roosevelt and acquainted him with tho intentions of the Interborough-M Metro. :. politan.
 shonts . Valuable Man
 It is said that the President then ex- pressed regret at the thought of losing MT. Shonts's services, but agreed not to stand in the way if he should bs elected president of the company. MT shonts became Chairman of the Canal Commission on April 3, 1905, coming from the presidency of the Glover Leaf Route, which title he held for some time after taking up the canal work
 This connection, together with the fact that MT. Shonts spent little time on the Isthmus, caused considerable dissatisfaction in the Senate. The two rk tAtxo tzJnA nnN NVf hut Ad the failure of the Senate last session to confirm the nominations of Canal Commissioners, and they have not since been confirmed. The failure of nomi- nations In the Senate, however, had nothing to do with Mir. Shonts' decision to resign. except insofar as the incident caused him to chafe under the restraint of the red tape through which he was compelled to work by reason of the Senate Canal Committe not being in harmony with the Commission. He fre- auentIy expressed dissatisfaction with conditions and said to a number of friends that were it not for his friend ship for the President and Secretary Taft. he would resing and again take up railroad work, where he would not have to ask permission to buy lead pencil"
 In reorganizing the Commission. the President was carrying out plan he had for securing more effective work on the isthmus. He felt that the old Walker Commission was too cumber- some and asked authority of Congress to reduce the Commission to three members. Congress failed to take the action he desired. and so the President | then called for the resignatfons of the members of the Walker Commission Securing these, he named q new Com mission on April :, 1905. as follows Theodore P. Shonts, chairman: Charles A Magoon, John F. Wallace. chief en- gineer; M. T. Endicott. Gen P. c. Hains Col. O M. Ernst and B. M Harrod. The first three were later named as | an executive committee of the Com mission, and thus the President at. | tainsd the end he had sought in ap- pealing to Congress for the reduction 1 in membership. Messrs. Magoon, Ernst and Wallace subsequently resigned 1 and Mir. Stevens, who succeeded Mir | Wallace as chief engineer, was later made . member.
 | The resignation of Mir. Wallace ere ated great indignation on the part O | the administration which charged tha | he had deserted in time of need Pecu liarIy enough. rumor had it at the time 1 of his resignation that he was leavini l the Commission to accept a position with the subway in New York posi- | ton similar to that which MT. Snonti | has accepted.
 That rumor proved to be untrue. IT | removing headquarters of the Commits sion from Washington to the lsthmus | extensive offices here will be abandon ed. It is expected that before Mir ! Shonts actually sewers his connection | he will dispose of the matter of build | ing the canal by contract. which is now pending in his office. bids having beer opened more than week ago.