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

/ three members. SIR. Shonts was to DO
In charge OF the Washington otIice and
Messrs Wallace aud Magoon on the
isthmuS
Again following Mr.. wallace's sug-
gestion. the directory OF the Panama
railroad was reorganizei. the United
States on April Is. 1905. for the irst
time electing the members Mr.. Shonts
was made president and Mr.. Wallace
vice president and general manager.
This would further concentrate con-
troll In the chief engineer over a vital
factor in canal construction.
These changes and other matters kept
Mr.. Wallace In Washington from
March - to May 81. about two months.
The employees In the canal zone natu-
rally caught something of the spirit OF
unrest which attended the reorganiza-
: ton of the commission. and. OF course.
the hostile press was playing up every
thing that could embarrass the admin.
istraiion and damn the project Then
the yellow fever epidemic broke out In
4 hPihs ASpo' W duu u tetIiule puuSe "
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 ut 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-
| fidence.
Their surprise and chagrin. there
fore. were Unreasonable when Mr. Wal
lace cabIed Secretary Taft ON June =
asking that he be recalled 10 Washing
ton for conference He intimated
that the conference might result In his
resignation as chief engineer. After a
dfsheurtened 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-
vfving the norale uf the canal work
ers and also Of bringing the American
people sharply to a realization that the
canal project was In peril through a
! display OF weakness In the face of dam
ger that would make our experiment
In Panama an International disgrace.
Secretary Taft met Air Wallace Mt
the Manhattan hotel In New York on
June 25 Secretary Taft listened to
his redson for resignine which In the
main was that be had under consider
alton position that would carry with
II a remuneration OF approximately
$4,000 year.
Secretary Taft did not conceal his
disappointment In Mr.. WaIlace's
course. He began BY reviewing how
the government had taken him from
a position paying $4,000 year to.
make him chief engineer Of the canal
lat $4,000 a year: how the formula
bic obstacles to be met ard the su-
preme necessity Of canal to the ma
ton made 1t patriotic work for any
American and an honor to I've placed at
the bend of the greatest enterprise Of
/ the age.
..For mere Iucre." Mr.. Taft CON
tinued. "you change your position
overnight without thought Of the en-
barr;lssfng 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.. Wallare's wishes and
every change bad been approved by
| the chief engineer. He closed by de-
manding the immediate resignation Of
Mr. Wallace This came the next day
and was made public on June %. with
Secretary Taft's bot rebuke. which In
| the canal zone had most salutary
Ieerect. 1t put an entirely new com
Ipfexion on their work to be told that
the nation expected every man to do
bis duty: that they were not down
there for the money they could make.
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 desertions
began to diminish at once. and the an
nouncement on June 80 that John r.
stevens bad been appointed chief en-
gfneer further strengthened the morale
| Of the canal organization.
(To be Continued
Il