The Washington herald., 1907-01-24
SHONTS QUITS HIS
PANAMA CANAL JOB
CONTINUED FROM FIRsT PAGE.

CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
not be given the title of chairman, and
possibly that Office will be abolished; but
he will be at the head Of the commits
sion. and will be in absolute charge OF
government work in Panama. He will
be responsible to no one except the Sec
Rotary Of War and the President, and his
powers viii be such that the work can be
facilitated to a greater extent than ever
before.
Because Of the presence Of the entire
administrative and executive force IN
Panama the resignation Of Mr.. ShOnts
Is somewhat clarifying, for 1t is well I'M
derstOod Ihat Mr.. Shonts did not care TO
1--we in Panama. President Roosevelt has
thought that The chairman OF the COM
mission should be tn Panama, where he
would be in close touch with the actual
work Of construction. There has been
/ however, no friction between the Presi-
dent and Mr. Shonts on that point The
/ Importance of the Offices II the Canal
Commission here are greatly minimiZed
/ by the retirement OF Mr. ShOnts, having
now merely 20 do with the purchase Of
materials. The main work is centralized
in Panama
Secretary of War Taft last night said
/ there was absolutely no friction OF any
thing like il which tended 20 bring about
the ~~eie-.,inn of Nr Shonts He said
/ tina
int,
/ not
/ s.
She
sior
! dou
/ tina
/ for
similar in the departures from the govern
: meut service of Mr.. Shonts and Of Mr..
/ Wallace In this other government off,
I cials agree They say that Mr. Shonts
( has done much, and that his departure
will not embarrass the government in its
difficult task, whereas Mr.. Wallace re-
signed most unexpectedly at a critical
/ time
/ Nevertheless there are few who care %
deny that Mr.. Sh0nts retirement does not
solve Tie question OF having the executive
/ forces in Panama instead OF in Washing
/ ton. This view, however, holds good only
/ in 50 far as absolute refusal on the part
/ Of Mr. Shonts 10 go to Panama is con-
/ ccrned.
/ President Roosevelt has known of the
! possibility Of Mr. Shonts moving TO New
/ York for al least two months. He has
| not heard from Mr.. ShOnts directly upon
/ the subject but those interested in the
! concern with which Mr.. ShOnts will ally
/ himself have talked with the President
/ concerning the matter.
August Belmont Ousted.
! New York, Jan 23.-The Interbcrough-
metropolitan Railway Company. of Now
York city. frightened more than ever in
/ its history, because OF the hostile attitude
Of its patrons to the methods it has pUr-
sued in the past, and also fearing an op-
position might seriously interfere with its
! revenues. to-day retired from It's presi-
deuCy August Belmont the millionaire
/ fiuancier. race track promoter and mem
Der of the Civic Federation, and elevated
/ 20 the head Of its affairs Theodore p.
/ Shonts
! At the same time the marlborough Com
lpany elected as vice president John B.
/ Mcdonald, the contractor, to whose sd
gacitv. foresight and ability is absolutely
due the present subway system of New
/ York
/ Mcdonald was forced out Of the subway
system by Belmont because he desired To
give good service TO the public at large
and have the city Of New York, which
financed the construction of the great
subway system. receive n real rapid
transit system. At the time Belmont
made severe structures Of Mcdonald and
Mcdonald prepared to arraign himself
on the side Of an opposition company and
build New York's new subway. Since
then, however Charles f. Hughes has
been put in the saddle" as governor of
New York state. and he is said TO have
no love for the present transit methods in
this city. which compelled patrons Of the
various railway lines to submit to in
human treatment in order TO get to and
from their work
Promised Free Hand.
Mr.. Shonts. who succeeds Belmont, who,
by the way. is continued as the financial
head OF the Interborough, is a railway
man OF vast experience. It is understood
that he comes into the New York traction
lnuddle absolutely untrammcled and has
been promised a free hand in dealing
with the intricate transportation prob
lens that are coming up. Mcdonald will
be Of great help to him, inasmuch as he.
more than any other New Yorker mas
studied at first hand the problem of carry
ing New Yorks millions about the narrow
island Of Manhattan.
To-day's changes in the marlborough
metropolitan system are bound to work
out for the benefit Of the people at large
and especially as it is understood from
those in the know that il has been de-
cided that the InterboroUgh in its new
relations with the people, viii deal from
the Shonts- Mcdonald and not from the
! Belmont attitude