Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-16
PRESS STATEMENTS FALSE.
Secretary Root Calls d ition Of
Committee to Publish Lies.

Committee to Publish Lies.
Washington, Dec. 1, Secretary
RooT has addressed the lowing let
ter ie Senator Proctor, acting chair
man OF the committee on military af-
fairs:
"Sir: | enclose a letter from Brig.
adler Tasker II. Bliss asking attsn.
ton to the report of his recent tes.
timony before your committee as a
witness. regarding certain objections
to the confirmation of General Wood.
II appears that press reports of Gen
eral Bliss testimony are precisely the
contrary of what he in fact testified
He wishes this set right for his own
reputation and | shall take the liberty
of doing so as far as practicable by
giving his letter to the press.
AT the same time | wish TO call
the attention of the committee 10 the
fact that some persons seem to be
persistently furnishing to the press
false statements of the testimony TAX
en- before you, the pervision of eyi-
dence being in every case, to the pre-
judice of General Wood. II can not
be doubted that the newspapers pub
fishing these reports believe them to
be true, and that the reports are sent
to them by representatives of the
press in good faith. under the same
belief. 1t Is evident that some person
is undertaking to convey to the press
representatives information of what
goes on In the committee, and is TAX.
ing advantage of the fact, that the
evidence is not published. to state II
falsely, for the purpose of injuring
General Wood in the public estima.
ton; so that. while your committee
will act upon the evidence actually
before 1t, the public judgment as to
how you ought to act will be based
upon an entirely different and erron.
eous idea of what the evidence is. II
the evidence actually gwen called for
General Woods presence, | should,
of course. bring him back from the
Philippines. but | do not feel justified
in Withdrawing him from the impor.
tant duties which he is performing,
on account of false reports of evil
dence, which has never in fact been
given. 1t hardly seems fair that an
officer who is not here to protect him
self, but is serving his country faith
fully, under orders, on the other side
of the world, should have his reputa-
ton stabbed In this way. | earnest
ly request your committees attention
to this subject. Very respectfully,
"ELIHU ROOT.
Secretary of War"
General Bliss in his letter contra
diets the report that he strongly op-
posed the admission without payment
OF duty of the silver service purchas-
ed in New York by the Jai AlaI and
that he received manda' :. :. instruc.
tions from General Wood to admit
said silver service free OF duty. He
says he testified positively under oath
that neither directly nor indirectly,
verbally nor in writing. personally
from him nor through any subordi.
nate nor from any person whatsoever,
"haS1 received even an intimation as
to- he' remission of duty because |
believed then and believe now that IL
was In accordance with law: that II
any mistake was made | was solely
responsible for II. further testified
that during the two and half years
that | served directly under the or.
ders of General Wood, as military
governor Of Cuba, know of no action
of his that was not consistent with the
character of an honorable officer and
a man OF integrity"