Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-15
FALSE REPORTS
ARE GIVEN OUT.
of ,he Testimony in the Wood
Ease Taken by the Committee
On Military Affairs
50 SAYS SECRETARY ROOT.
rI,. Senator Proctor Some One is
Undertaking to Convey False In
formation to the Press.

u,sbineton, Dec. 14.-Secy. Root has
-,s.ossed the following letter to Sena-
@ proctor, acting chairman of the
,orulttee on military affairs
osIr / enclose a letter from Brig
%, Tasker II. Bliss asking attention
- the report of his recent testimony
,o,ore YOUR committee as witness
.ogordng certain objections to the con-
a1n,oHon of Gen. Wood. 1t appears
hat the press reports of Gen. Bliss
testimony are the precise contrary Of
chat he in fact testified. He wished
. ME- set right for his own reputation,
u nS I shall take the liberty OF doing
o. an "a far as practicable, by giving his
letter TO the press.
VA the same time wish to call the
,,tantlon Of the committee to the fact
hat some persons seem to be persist
ewly furnishing to the press false
s,otements of the testimony taken by
,.ou the perversion of the evidence
IoInp in every case TO the prejudice Of
Gan Wood. 1t cannot be doubted that
,he newspapers publishing these re-
rorts are sent to them by the repre-
sentatives Of the press In good faith,
nnder the same belief. II Is evident
mai some person Is undertaking to
convey to the press representatives IN
formaton Of what goes on In the COM
mttee and is taking advantage OF the
met that the evidence Is not published
10 state il falsely, for the purpose of
iniurng Gen Wood in the public esti-
nation: so that, while your committee
,ylll act on the evidence actually be-
fore II, the public judgment as to how
YOU ought TO act will be based upon an
entirely different and erroneous idea OF
what the evidence Is, II the evidence
actually given called for Gen. Woods
nresence ] should, of course, bring him
back from the Philippines, but do
not feel justified In withdrawing him
from the Important duties which he In
reforming on account OF false reports
Of evidence which has never In fact
been given. 1t hardly seems fair that
an officer who is not here to protect
himself. but Is serving his country
faithfully. under orders. on the other
side Of the world should have his
reputation stabbed in this way.
earnestly request your committees at
tent1n to this subject. Very respect
fully ELlHU ROOT,
Secretary of War"
Gen. Bliss, In his letter, contradicts
the report that he strongly opposed
the admission without payment Of duty
Of the silver service purchased in New
York by the Jai-Alai, and that he re-
ceyed mandatory instructions from
Gen, Wood to admit said silver service
free Of duty. He says he testified most
positively, under oath, that neither d.
rectly nor indirectly verbally nor In
writing. personally from him nor
through any subordinate, nor from any
person whatsoever, had received even
an intImation as to the remission of
duties upon these articles; that l Or
dered the remission of duties because
believed then and believe now that
It was in accordance with the law;
that II any mistake was made | was
solely responsible for II. | further tes-
tilted that during the two and a half
years that | served direcily under the
orders Of Gen. Wood as military gov
emor of Cuoa | know of no action OF
his that was not consistent with the
character of an honorable officer and
man Of integrity"