Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-10-28

PRorr" ZAP or THE PANAMA CANAl.

This would further concentrate con
troll In the chief engineer over a vital
factor in canal construction.
These changes and other matters kent
Mr.. Wallace in Washington from
March 20 to May "a, about two months.
The employees in the canal zone natu-
rally caught something of the spirit of
unrest which attended the reorganza-
ton Of the commission, and, of course.
the hostile press was playing up every
thing that could embarrass the admin
istration and damn the project. Then
the yellow fever epidemic broke out in
April. 1905, to add a terrible phase to
life on the isthmus.
Having secured every change he de-
sired. Mr.. Wallace left Washington
with expressions Of cordial apprecia.
ton to the president and his secretary.
He arrived at Colon on June 2, and the
White House believed that a crisis in
the career Of the project had been
passed successfully. They looked for
ward to smooth sailing with every con-
fdence.
Their surprise and chagrin. there
fore. were Unreasonable when Mr.. Wal
lace cabled Secretary Taft on June 8
asking that he be recalled to Washing
ton for conference. He intimated
that the conference might result in his
resignation as chief engineer. After a
disheartened interview with the pres
ident Secretary Taft cabled him to re-
turn.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Taft then decided upon drastic course
toward Mr.. Wallace as means Of re-
viving the morale Of the canal work
ers and also Of bringing the American
people sharply to realization that the
canal project was in peril through a
display Of weakness in the face of dan
ger that would make our experiment
In Panama an international disgrace.
Secretary Taft met Mr. Wallace at
the Manhattan hotel in New York on
June % Secretary Taft listened to
his reason for resigning which In the
main was that he had under consider
alton Il position that would carry with
it n remuneration Of approximately
S65on0 a year
Secretary Taft did not conceal his
disappointment in Mr. Wallace's
course He began by reviewing how
the government had taken him from
position paying Sl5M0 IL year to
make him chief engineer of the canal
at $4,000 a year; how the formula
BILE obstacles to be met and the su-
preme necessity of u canal to the ma
ton made it a patriotic work for any
American and an honor to be placed at
the head of the greatest enterprise Of
the age.
For mere lucre." Mr.. Taft con-
tinued, you change your position
overnight without thought Of the en-
barrassing position in which you place
your government by this action"
Secretary Taft then reviewed how
the commission had just been reorgan-
lied to meet Mr.. Walace's wishes and
every change had been approved by
the chief engineer He closed by de.
handing the immediate resignation Of
Mr.. Wallace. This came the next day
and was made public on June %, with
Secretary Taft's hot rebuke, which in
the canal zone had most salutary
effect. 1t put an entirely new COM
plexiOn on their work to be told that
the nation expected every man to do
his duty; that they were not down
f> NH
nor were they expected to leave be-
cause Of the hardships they would
meet. but that the object Of their ex-
lie was to give the nation something
vital to its welfare The assertions
began to diminish at once. and the an
nouncement on June 30 that John #.
Stevens had been appointed chief. en-
gneer further strengthened the morale
Of the canal organization.