Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14
NEVER HAD ANY CLASH
Control Had Nothing to Do With His
Leaving the Commission.
DID NOT THREATEN TO RESIGN
Ee Declares That the Reports Being
Circulated About Him Are
Entirely Untrue.


Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, April 13.-John + Stevens.
former chief engineer of the Panama canal,
returned from Colon aboard the steamship
Panama today. and expressed himself with
some warmth the ridiculous reasons"
given by various newspapers as to the
cause of his retirement. He said he was
not asked to resign, but, on the contrary,
was urged to accept the highest position,
authority and consequent responsibility.
next to that of the Secretary of War" Mr..
Stevens declared that he never had any
clash with any of his superior officers, who
always supported him. Il have never OBJ
posed doing the work by contract he said,
IN fact year ago last January, while in
Washington, and other times since, ! ad-
vocated such policy. The plan of contract
under which bids were received was fornlu-
lated by myself in July last only one
month after Congress had decided upon the
type of canal. I did oppose letting the
contract to the Oliver syndicate for good
reasons but the statement that | ever on
posed the letting of any contract is false.
Was Not Fired
Il did not cable write Washington
that L would resign if the contract was
let. The matter of the contract had in no
way anything whatever to do with my leav-
ing the service of the canal commission.
And the refined statement of a discounted
bidder that because L opposed the letting
of the contract | was fired is a fabrica-
ton, pure and simple.
Il did not threaten to resign if | was or
dered 10 Washington during the last days
of ConpraSS at .Iar
I should have preferred staying on the
istllnus as long l was connected with
the work, and while L might in my own
mind have questioned the wisdom of the Or
der, should have promptly obeyed it with
out any conditions.
II did not leave the work to play golf TO
read books, nor for any such fantastic no.
tons. Nor the act prompted by ieal-
easy of any one getting credit for my work.
In The POSITION | would have held. had re-
manned. there would have been none TO be
jealou. CT.
No Attempt to Bluff.
II did not attempt to bluff the President,
and one of the happiest moments of nv
life was the one when found | could soon
be relieved of the work. And mace no sug-
gestion toward leaving until | knew the
work was in shape to leave and that the or
SdHlZduoil. personnel, plant and system
which had been evolved made up such a
working machine that no failure or serious
delay can occur with a continual ton of di-
rect business methods.
My reasons for leaving were largely per-
sonal and perfectly satisfactory TO myself
and the act was one purely of my own
voliton.
'Th statements emanating from Washing
ton news bureaus alleging anything con-
trary to the above are wholly flights Of
fancy, and the ponderous comments of GER
tain space writers are exactly of the same
class.
And the newspapers which print such
rot are in their self-appointed capacity of
censors of other: ueoples morals and ethics
simply fndulging in the time-honored but
wholly harmless amusement of barking at
a knot
will you the President in Washing
ton?" he was asked.
IF he wants to see me he will know where
to find me-" answered the chief engineer
Il have done my share of the work on the
canal and l am willing that some one else
should take a hand.
The people of the United States should
get the idea out of their heads that the
canal work is not progressing. 1t is going
on splendidly."
Mr.. Stevens reached Washington late this
evening and went Immediately to the Con-
nectcut. on Connecticut avenue, where ne
has apartments. He retired shortly there
after, refusing to see any visitors.