The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-03-14
Said to Have Made Suggestions to
Baron Tweedmouth, First Lord OF
the Observation-Disclosures OF En-
peror's Letter Demanded by Press
and People-May Be Aired in Par.
Lament.

SrOuuU IudL IL 1S du dICCupI " AAAu-
ence the British minister responsible
for the navy in German interests.
In an angry editorial the Times says
that the letter will cause painful
surprise and just indignation to the
British people.
airy rank of admiral in the British
navy" says the Times, "but if this is
held to warrant interference in our
domestic affairs by secret appeals to
the head of a department on which
naval safety depends, all that can be
said is that the abolition of dynastic
compliments of this kind is an urgent
necessity. Had King Edward taken
such a step there would have been an
cutlery of anger universal throughout
Germany and an overwhelming de-
mand for a doubled shipbuilding pro-
gram as a fitting reply.
IF the emperor has anything to sug-
gest concerning arms" concludes the
Times, "he has the regular official
channels of communication and no pri-
vate relations can excuse departure
from the regular methods. Lord
Tweedmouth is a public servant and
therefore it cannot be contended that
the letter is private matter.
''The lesson for Great Britain is
plain after an attempt of this kind to
make it easier for German prepare
tons to overtake our owA."
People Are Indignant.
Emperor Williams letter to Lord
Tweedmouth has created a great stir
among all classes in England, and has
caused much popular indignation. The
emperor is accused of grave meddling
with the British naval estimates, and
the reply of Lord Tweedmouth that
the communication was purely person
al is considered unsatisfactory and has
allayed neither the anxiety nor the in
dignation of the public.
At the close of yesterdays sitting
of the house of commons Chancellor
of the Exchequer Asquith alluded to
the episode.
He said that an immediate state
ment seemed to be required in the pub
lie interest
1T is a fact" declared the chancel-
lor, that February 10 Lord Tweed
mouth received letter from the Ger
man emperor 1t was purely person
al and private communication, con-
ceived in an entirely friendly spirit.
My noble friends answer was equally
private and informal, and neither the
letter nor it's answer was known or
communicated to the cabinet. I may
add, in view of certain suggestions
which have been made, that before the
letter arrived the cabinet had come
to it's final decision with regard to the
naval estimates for this year."
There is an insistent demand that
the matter be accounted in parliament
and Lord Tweedmouth has intimated
that further information will be given
out in the house of lords March 8. It
is question, however, whether the
communication of the German emper-
or can be made public without the
consent of the writer, as well as that
of King Edward. In the meantime the
matter was taken up by the cabinet at
its meeting yesterday, but no official
announcement of any course of action
has been made.
The episode was the sole topic of
conversation in the lobby of the house
of commons yesterday.
In Liberal circles that are usually
well informed it is asserted that EN-
peror Williams letter dealt with GER
tain criticisms of the British press on
the naval policy of Germany and the
statement in recent letter sent by
Lord Esher to the Navy League to the
effect that nobody would regard the
retirement of Sir John Fisher, senior
lord of the admiralty, with greater
pleasure than the emperor of Ger
many. It is declared that Emperor
William took exception to this state
ment and the relatOr of this version of
the incident declared that If the en-
peror's letter was made public he
would be the most popular man in
England next to King Edward.
Lord Tweedmouth's statement that
the communication from Emperor
William was personal and not sent to
him In his capacity of first lord of the
admiralty has done nothing to allay 1
British suspicious that Emperor Will
liam is guilty Of designs on the indie
pendence Of the country. The episode
has caused widespread excitement and
there are insistent demands that the
matter be fully aired in parliament.
A.-Y.-P. Men to Meet.
Olympia. March For the purpose
Of discussing the collection of state ex-
hibits which will make up a part Of
the states general display at the
Alaska Pacific exposition. the
governor has summoned the commits
sion to q meeting to be held in his
office March ID at 2 p. M The heads
a ~ So