The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-03
THE HARBoR CONTROVERSY

henry Ct HOWe Would Like Decision
 by Competent Tribunal - Invites
 What Criticism There is for Him.
 self.
 To Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 Is the persistent flow of personal abuse of the committee on harbor in tended for the welfare of New Haven? Is it promoting the future of our har- Dor improvements, or is 1t to gratify a long standing personal pique? Is this suitable way for intelligent citizens to discuss question of great public importance?
 The original attack on the committee has degenerated into flood of mali cious personalities, not accompanied by any attempt at proof It commenced with an assertion that our report Is a misrepresentation. Personal abuse is the only evidence that has been offered, except the statement of MT. verrill, which contradicted two points in the re- port of the committee. MT. Verrill Is in turn contradicted by the report of his superior officers, as will be definitely shown hereafter.
 Personal abuse is not discussion. Discussion should maintain some rela- tion between assertion and evidence. The attacks on the committee on har- bor do not show any Knowledge of this principle The committee holds docu- mentary proof that all of this abuse is untrue. Nevertheless, we have abstain ed from all reply, except the brief one showing that Mir Martin had ample opportunity to study the report before he signed it. His assertion to the con- trary compelled this. and the commit tee at the same time stated that none of us will show the white feather, no matter how much abuse is brought to bear to cause us to do so As soon as one baseless assertion was refuted, the real question was obscured by dozen more assertions, but unaccompanled with any evidence.
 How can there be any result but harm to New Haven from discussing a public matter in such way? It has done harm to the cause that we have labored so long and so earnestly to pro- mote. The future of New Haven har- Dor ought to be considered rather than the qualification of the malice of any man.
 The first and last paragraphs of our annual report are as follows:
 Tt has been the privilege of this com mlttee to report success in former years in securing improvements for our harhor and rivers Itis our unpleasant duty to report the facts when our ef- forts are fruitless. Unless the truth is known Q remedy cannot be provided"
 These are humiliating facts, but if we accept such treatment and do not even show that We know 1t, how can we expect hereafter to fare any better? This committee realizes that he who brings bad news gets no thanks. Some readers connect the message with the nevertheless, duty requires us to present the facts'
 The report did not state who was at fault. merely the facts, as duty re- quired. We made no attack upon any one
 We have refrained from publishing the proofs in our possession, because the attacks have been too loose and to deserve It, and we hoped they would cease for the good of New Haven. No intelligent decision can come from such utterances, but we could welcome consideration and de- cision by some competent tribunal, who may consider the documentary proofs and examine the matter in a way more worthy of reasoning and reasonable be- ings than that which has been pur- sued. When the obscuration of abuse has cleared away this committee will ask some suitable tribunal to examine the proof and decide whether our re- port is a misrepresentation as charg- ed, That Is the question which was raised and which we shall insist upon having decided,
 Let us as soon as possible rise above personal irritation and view this mat ter as becomes intelligent citizens who loa!. to the future welfare of our har- bor. If can do this after the vituper- atlon l have received. the rest should be able to do SO.
 After long abuse this Is my first per- sonal statement, l have not had time in this to consult any of my colleagues further. They are not clphers as rep- resented They are all known to be men of intelligence, judgment and char acter. They have given much time and thought to the work for our harbor. and have deliberately performed a trying and unpopular duty, knowing that 1t would expose them to the abuse of the unreasoning and superficial Although their patient labor during four years past has been made almost fruitless, they deserve well of New Haven
 After our report was presented, Pres ident Woodruff who has kept in touch with the work of this committee for two years past, said to the Chamber of Commerce that this committee is not to blame for the lack of success in its faithful work, and bade us to perse- we're in our difficult and trying task
 I step one side in this, so that he who wishes to throw more mud can do so without hitting my colleagues. I feel abuse as much as anyone, but no amount of it can prevent my standing by the report of my committee, and we can prove to any intelligent tribunal that it is true, every word.
 HENRY C ROWH