Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-29
DECLINES TO RETRACT
Rainey Reads to the House
Message From c. P. Taft.
PUTS ONUS ON OBALDIA
Says Panama's President Made the
Charge Objected To.
CARES TO ADD NOTHING TO IT
Letter Read From Cromwell Denying
Interest in Any Concession
on the 1sthmus.
CARES TO ADD NOTHING TO IT

AS soon as he could get the floor today
Representative Rainey Ull) read TO the
House the cablegram which he received
from Charles +. Taft yesterday. in which
the brother of the next President denied
that he has ever had any business asso-
ciation with William Nelson Cromwell. or
any interest at any time in the lSthmus OF
Panama. In his message he asked Mr..
Rainey to retract his statements regard
ing Mr.. Taft, which he made in his speech
Tuesday.
Following is the text of Mr.. IaftS
telegram to Mr.. Rainey:
Havana, January -, 1909.
Representative Rainey. House of Repre-
sentatives, Washington.
Il assume you have been mislcad into
utterng the sheer and absolute false
hoods concerning me you are reported to
have spoken yesterday. l have never
had any business association of any kind
ur description. past present or prospec-
tive, with William Nelson Cromwell. nor
any interest OF any kind or with any
body. present. past or prospective on
the lsthmus of Panama, and j confidently
rely on Your loyalty To the truth to re-
tract what you said about me in the same
liiSH pIdCt "LeTc you Ifldue yourself re-
sponsible for those misstatements.
CHARLES +. TAFT
Doesn't Contradict Taft.
After the reading of the cabegram
MIR. Rainey said:
Il have not the slightest desire to con-
trovert in any way the statement of Mr..
Charles P. Taft, which has just been
read. On the contrary, I congratulate
him upon his absolute and complete re-
pudiation of William Nelson Cromwell
and his methods. 1t, however. does not
become necessary for me to retract any
sire to add anything to what I said nor
to change 1t in any way In order that
what I said about Mr.. Charles p. Taft
may appear here in the Congressional
Record, in connection with his telegram
L desire now to read from my speech of
January 81, and I read now from the
first column on page 14IO of the Con-
gressional Record for this session.
Mr.. Rainey then read from the Record
the extract referred to. 1t asserted that
President Obaldia of Panama told some
members OF the general assembly that c.
z. Taft was one of the men behind cer-
tain scheme. He continued
The country will be glad to know that
Mr.. Taft's name is being used there with
out his consent / desire to say i'm this
connection that Mr.. Taft could render a
great service. and his denial will be of
greater value, if he should without delay
address a telegram to the general assem-
bly, OF Panama denying his connection
with the scheme / have described and
repudiating Mr.. Cromwell on the 1sthmus
Of Panama with as much enthusiasm as
he has in his telegram to me repudia ted
all connection with that gentleman.
Newspaper Clippings Read.
Mr. Rainey also had read letter
printed in newspapers from Randolph G..
Ward of New York relieving Mr.. Crom-
we'll of responsibility for the attempt to
obtain the much-criticised railroad fran
chise from Panama. MIR Rainey said: Il
90 not have the pleasure of Mr.. Ward S
acquaintance, but his letter indicates he
is the prince of humorists. But his i'm
munity TO Mr. Cromwell does not do
that gentleman any good.
Mr.. Rainey also had the clerk read a
report of an interview with the secre-
tary of w. s harvey of New York men
toned in connection with the railroad
and timber grants in Panama
The trouble with all these gentlemen
Is that they take particular pains to deny
things ! do not say said Mr.. Raincy
lie read newspaper clippings to support
his statement on the floor made early in
the week.
Denial by Cromwell
When Mr. Rainey had finished the read
ing of the newspaper articles which he
sent to the desk Representative Lover
ing of Massachusetts took the floor.
and after making remark concern
ing the sensational facts with which
the gentleman from Illinois has regaIed
the House" read the following letter from
u'iilian Nelson Il
generally denying any connection on that
gentleman's part, directly or indirectly
with any concessions in the republic of
Panama.
Although the affairs of the Panama
government are not properly "A subject of
consideration by the American Congress
] wish 10 waive all technically and sd
at once that ] never have had and have
not now any interest of any kind, direct
or indirect. pres nj OF prospective. in any
concession, contract. proposition or other
business affair In any part of the repub-
lie of Panama. save only a mall stock in
terest in the local electric light company
Of Panama city. whieu I Joined years
ago, at the request of Panama citizens
TO encourage local industry, the condi-
tons of which inyeStne were fully
stated by me before the so-called Morgan
inquiry.
After MIR Lowering had read the let
ter he remarked thai Mr. Rainey had
peFn cTtffliNe1 lnlI OF lnIDrH4a ION IfOm
certain source"
Mr.. Rainry jumped to his feet and de-
nianded that M Lowering name the
source. and after some hesitation Mr.
Lowering replied. the New York World" :"
Not Coached by Newspapers.
Thereupon Mr.. Rainey obtained two
minutes from Representative Hay of
Virginia. in charge of the army bill.
and denied that he had secured any in
formai ion from the New York World
IL desire to say" said he. ''in the mcst
emphatic manner, that neither the New
York World nor any other newspaper has
furnished me with any information what
ever on this subject, nor did receive from
any newspapers The documents / printed
in the Record. nor did any newspaper as
sist me in securing them Whatever evil
dence the New York World may have has
not been revealed TO me. | cannot make
this too strong.
Mr. Lowering just previously had called
lion introduced by Mr. Rainey looking to
an investigation of the Panama canal
deal, and had said that he would dc
everything In his power TO have such a
resolution favorably considered by the
uou0e.