Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-07
STEVENS WOULD LEAVE
Offers Resignation if Canal
Contract is Awarded.
HALT IN THE PROCEEDINGS
Secretary Taft Confers With the
President.
NO DECISION YET REACHED
Further Hearing. to Be Given the
McArthur-Gillespie People-Mr.
Oliver Still Waiting.
0 DECISION YET REACHED

The administration has been brought face
| to face with the alternative of rejecting all
bids for the construction of the Panama
canal by contract or losing the services of
Chief Engineer John F. Stevens. This is
the reason for the delay Of President Roose-
welt, Secretary Taft and Chairman Shonts
of the canal commission in acting on the
Oliver bid An effort has been made to get
Mr.. Stevens to change his mind, but he has
continued o5durate and the indications are
that the administration will aceede to his
request and the construction will be con-
tinued by the government
This information in regard to the position
taken by Mr.. Stevens comes from source
that cannot be doubted, but it has created
some surprise on account of testimony given
by Mr.. Stevens before the Senate committee
on interoceanic canals a year ago. He then
said that he favored building the canal by
contract.
He was Of the opinion that contractors
would be in better position to deal with
the question Of laborers. Since then he
has gone over the canal plans carefully
and he now expresses the belief that the
canal can be constructed by the govern
ment within a period Of ten years. His
friends have advised him that IL contract
Is let for construction he will be robbed
Of the credit of building this great water
way. Frequent exchanges of cablegrams
between Washington and the isthmus have
result Ia a demand by Mr.. Stevens for the
acceptance of his resignation if the contract
is awarded,
have taken an unusual interest in all mat
tiers relating to the canal that If one of fine
bids for canal construction Is accepted II
!! viii mean that the administration has de-
Mill
the director of the canal construction.
Postponement for a Fortnight.
1t had been stated positively that an an.
nouncement on the bid would be made to-
day. This was done, but the statement
given out at the White House was merely
| to the effect that the bid of the Oliver COM
| bination had been received and was In con-
formity with the requirements Of the law.
There would have to be further examine
! ton made. however. by the Secretary of
War and the isthmian canal commission be-
fore a final decision could be reached. In
| the meantime there has been a protest
Arthur-G Gillespie combination. whose bid
was twice as high as the Oliver bid, and
this viii have to be considered also:
The on1cial statement issued by the White
saThe bid Of the Oliver McDonald-P Pierce
combination has been received and exam
lneo ana meeI8 CH0 1orfnai requirements.
Mr.. Paul D. Cravath on behalf Of his cli-
ents. the Macarthur Gillespie combination,
has requested a hearing before ANAL action
Is taken. In addition 20 granting this hear
| canal commission Will make as thorough an
examination ~ possible into the qualihca-
lions, experience and business standing and
achievements Of Mr.. Oliver and his asso-
ciates. and Into the responsibility OF the
sureties. Secretary TAFT and the commits
sion will probably need fortnight 70 COM