Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-30

threp members. Nr. shouts was to he
In charge OF the Washington otiice and
Mekses Wallace and Magoon on the
isthmus
Again following Mr.. waIlace's sur.
gestion. the directory Of the Panama
railroad was reorganlzed. the United
States on April Is. 1905. Cor the Brst
time electing the members. AFR. shonts
was made president aud Mr.. Wallace
vice president and general manager.
This would further concentrate con-
troll In the chief engineer over q vital
factor In canal construction.
These changes and other matters kept
Mr.. Wallace In Washington from
March % to May -. about two months.
The employees In the canal zone natli-
rally caught something OF the spirit OF
unrest which attended the reorganlza.
, 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. 1906. to add 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 ?. aud 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-
idence
Their surprise and chagrin. there
fore, were immeasurable when Mr.. Wal
lace cabled Secretary Taft on June =
asking that he be recalled to washing
ton for conference He intimated
that the conference might result IN hls
resignation as chief engineer. After a
disheartened Interview with the pres
ident Secretary Taft cabIed 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 a realization that the
canal project was In peril through q
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 81 Secretary Taft listened to
his reason for resIguine. which IN the
main was that be had under consider
alton a position that would carry with
Il a remuneration Of approximately
$4,000 year.
Secretary Taft did not conceal his
disappointment In Mr.. Wallace's
course. He began by reviewing how
the government had taken him from
a position paying $4,000 q yrar to
make him chief engineer Of the canal
klt $4,000 year; how the formida-
lille obstacles to be met aud the 3D.
preme necessity Of a eanaI 70 the ma
fIon made It patriotic work for any
american and an honor to I've placed at
the head Of the greatest enterprise Of
the age.
.For mere Iucre." Mr. Taft con-
tinued. won change your position
overnight without thought OF fhe en-
barrassinz position In which you place
your government by this action
Secretary Taft then reviewed how
the commission had just been reDrgan-
lied to meet Mr.. Wallace's wishes md
every change had been approved By
The chief engineer. He closed by de-
handing the immediate resignation Of
Sir. Wallace. This came the next day
and was made public on June 3. With
Secretary Taft's hot rebuke. which IN
the canal zone had most saluiary
effect. IT put an entirely new com
plexion on their work to b. told that
the nation expected every man to DO
his duty: that they were not down
there for the money they could make.
nor were they expected to leave be-
cause OF the hardshlps they would
meet. but that the object Of their ex-
lie was to give the nation something
vital to its welfare The desPrtions
began to diminish mt once. and the nm
nouncement on June 80 that John y.
Stevens had been appointed chief en-
gifeer further strengthened the morale
Of the canal organization.
ITO be Continued