The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1908-03-10
PUBLIC DISAPPOINTED.
KaiSer's Letter to British Official
Will Remain Secret.
DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT
Chancellor of the Exchequer Asquith
and Lord Tweedmouth, Its Recip-
lent, Both Declare That the Com
munication Is Private.

munication Is Private.
London, March 10.-The hope that
the letter sent last month by Emperor
William of Germany to Lord Tweed
mouth, first lord of the admiralty, In
which, 1t has been charged, his ma
jesty attempted to influence Great
Britain's naval legislation, and the
British minister's reply thereto would
be made public for the edification of
the people was quickly dispelled by
Mr.. Asquith, chancellor of the ex-
chequer, In the house of commons.
In couple Of curt sentences Mr..
Asquith, who was acting as premier,
told A. J. Balfour and his other ques-
tioners that he had nothing to add to
his statement of Friday and that SO
far as he knew Lord Tweedmouth had
nothing to add to his declaration be-
yond the fact that Immediately upon
the receipt of Emperor Williams let
ter the first lord of the admiralty
showed 1T to Sir Edward Grey, the for
eign secretary, who agreed with the
recipient that the letter had no official
character and should be treated as a
private communication. 1T is clearly
out of the question:" continued Mr..
Asquith, ito lay private and personal
correspondence on the table,"
A question from Amelius r. H.
Lockwood, Conservative, as to whether
1t was possible for communication
on such an important question to be
regarded in any way as private drew
still more curt "yes" from Mr.. AS
quith and when he was asked to give
the house an opportunity to discuss
Lord Tweedmouths conduct the act
ing head of the government main
tanned chilly silence.
Lord Tweedmouth Explains.
Later, In the house of lords, Lord
Tweedmouth, the first lord of the adj
miralty, was somewhat more COM
municative, but he threw no light on
the real contents of the correspond
ence. He did, however, describe the
letter from Emperor William as quite
informal and very friendly.
Lord Tweedmouth expressed his
surprise at what he called the extra
ordinary outburst of the press" during
the last few days in connection with
this matter. Continuing, he vouch-
safed the information that he had on
| 'cn Lot
the German emperor which had come
in the ordinary way through the post
Office. The particular letter now un-
der discussion was a private and per-
sonal one, Lord Tweedmouth de-
clared, very friendly in tone and quite
informal When it reached him he
showed 1t to Sir Edward Grey, who
agreed with him that it should be
treated as private and not official. Ac-
cordingly on Feb. 20 he had replied
to the emperor in the same friendly
and informal manner.
Lord Tweedmouth concluded by as
suring the house of his firm belief
that the course adopted was a good
one and calculated to do what every
body so earnestly desired, namely,
foster good understanding between
the German empire and Great Britain.
The feature of the session in the
house of lords was a speech by Lord
Rosebery, who had the Prince of
Wales in seat beside him. The for
mer premier made an attack upon the
yellow" Journalism of England, with
special reference to the inferences
drawn by the London Times from the
letters.