The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-12
ACCEPT BID AND I'LL RESIGN
Is the Ultimatum Of Chief Engi-
neer John F. Stevens.
GOVERNMENT ~ \ HOLE
Effort Made tn Gct MIR. stevens to
Charge His Mind. bat Without IF
feCt-Indication> ArC That the All
mini~:-atiop VIII Yield and snn-
time Construction OF Canal.

Washington. February The adj
ministration has been brought tace 10
face with the alternative VI reJectinE
all bids for the construction ~ the
Panama canal by contract or pSing the
services III Chief Engineer John f.
lSteVens. This is he reason for the
delay uf President Roosevelt Score
IAN and Chairman Shonts on the
canal commission in acting on the
IOliVer bid An effort has been made
10 get MIR. Stevens To change his mind.
but he has continued obdurate and the
indication are that the administration
VIII accede Ia his request and tho Cnn-
.s1ructton will be continued BY the
government
This Information in regard 20 me
position taken by Mr.. Stevens ZONES
from a source that cannot b. doubted.
but ii has created some surprise on &C
count Of testimony given by Mr.. Stew
ems before the senate committee on m
ter-occanic canals a year ago. He then
said that he favored building the GA
ma by contract. He was Of the opinion
that contractors would be in a better
position to deal with the question .,
Ilaborers.
Since hen he has gone over tse
plans carefully and he now ex-
the belief that the canal can
be constructed by the government
within a period OF 10 years. His friends
h va advised him fhaF 80 ., continual A.,
let for construction he will be robbed
OF the credit OF building his grtzN
waterway. Frequent exchanges q
Icablegrams between Washington and
the isthmus have resulted in a demand
by Mr.. Stevens for the acceptance IN
his resignation if the contract is
awarded.
Il is asserted BY certain senarurs
who have taken an unusual interest In
all matters relating To the canal tina
III one Of the bids for canal oonftruc-
|tiOn is accepted Il win mean that ID.
administration has determined to dis
|pense with Mr.. Stevens as the director
|of the canal construction.
Secretary Taft held a conference TO
day with the president regarding the
Panama canal contract for the PURPOSE
Iof determining upon a course OF pro
|cedure. The president and secretary
had efore them the completed bid Of
William j. Oliver and his associates
for he construction OF the canal.
After the conference Secretary Loeb
gave out the following statement:
The bid N the Oliver Mcdonald
Pierce combination has been received
and examined and meets, the formal re
I~quirements. Mr.. Paul ID. Cravath, on
behalf Of his clients, the Macarthur
Gillespie combination, has requested n
hearing before final action IL taken. In
addition TO granting the hearing the
secretary of war and the Isthmian
Canal Commission will make as thor
!ough an examination as possible In
the qualifications, experience. business
standing and achievements OF Mr..
Oliver and his associates and into the
responsibility of the sureties. Secretary
Taft and the commission will probably
need a fortnight TO complete full en-
animation Of the bid and report 10 the
president"
Secretary Taft later in the day made
known TO Mr.. Oliver the result OF his
talk with the president and framed n
letter 10 Judge O'Brien, divers esun-
isel, informing him just how the mat
ter stood. This letter stated, among
other things that the president was
very much inclined 10 give he contract
to Mr.. Oliver and his assoCiates, but
that he would 10 surrender his right
to reject all bids eve after The further
hearing has been given 10 the McArth-
ur-Gillespie combination.
Mr.. Oliver left here tonight for his
home in Knoxville.