Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1906 — WALLACE HITS BACK. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WALLACE HITS BACK.

THE FORMER CANAL ENGINEER GIVES TESTIMONY. Say* Attorney Cromwell, the Goternment'a Adviaer, Haa Tt»o Many Jobs—Telia Senate Committee He la to Blame for Claah with Taft.

Because of the multiplicity of his Interests, which run tjountpF'to the interests of the governmerft, John F.

Wallace, former chief engineer of the Panama Canal, gave it as his opinion before the Senate interoceaffic canal committee that WiHiam Nielson Cromwell is a “dangerousman.” From Mr. lace's statement it would appear that Mr. Cromwell was:

Fiscal agent of the Panama Republic. . . ‘ Director of the Panama Railroad. Counsel for the Panama Railroad. General adviser in all canal matters by order of the President. Counsel for the Panama legation. Interested in the Panama American Company.• -r— : Counsel for the French Panama Canal Company. The remark about Mr. Cromwell being a “dangerous man,” made to the I canal investigating committee and coming as a climax to Mr; Warfare's: description of the important™part Mr. Cromwell plays us Pooh-Bah of the canal enterprise, created a sensation. It led to Mr. Wallace being closely questioned by Senator Morgan and other members of the committee concerning the apparently dominating influence Mr. Cromwell from the first has exerciseC In the affairs of the cabal, although, according to the testimony • -of Secretary Taft and Chairman Shouts, Mr. Cromwell has no official connection with the commission. To substantiate his statement of this close, If not dominating relationship, Mr. Wallace quoted the official statement issued by Secretary Taft in passing criticism upon the Wallace resignation, in which Secretary Taft, referring to the presence of Mr. Cromwell at the famous Manhattan Hotel conference, spoke of him as “Mr. Cromwell, who for some time has been charged by the President and the Secretary of War with general advisory duties in all Panama Canal affairs.” Gives Inner Details. This strong bit of corroborative testimony added keen zest to the already whetted appetite of the canal investigators for light upon the peculiar relationship of Mr. Cromwell to this nal enterprise, and Mr. Wallace was not backward in giving ik to them. Mr. Wallace attributes nis clash with Secertary Taft to the machinations of Mr. Cromwell. That be feefls keenly the position in which Secretary Taft’s published criticism of his action in resigning his position as chief engineer have placed him before the county and that he believes he was very badly treated in that attack upon his motives and character and integrity, was made plain by Mr. Wallace.

He related the details of his selection as chief engineer and said he made a protest particularly against what he called red tape methods and a multiplicity of masters, and then read a long statement. He first spoke of the “violent attack upon me which Secretary Taft and Mr. Cromwell gave to the newspapers last June," and ssked that judgment upon the justice of that attack be suspended until he “had an opportunity to explain to you why I think it was absolutely uncalled for and unjustifiable.” He declared that the only 1 basis for this attack was a difference of opinion between them “as to my right to decide for myself when. I thought the welfare of the enterprise and my own welfare justified me in resigning my position.”

J. F. WALLACE.