Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-14

SECRETARY KNOX LEAVES WASH
lNGToN AND WORD is GIVEN
OUT THAT 1T is "cLosEp INCL
DENT"; CRANE REPLIES.

Washington, Oct. 13.-The simple
statement that the Crane incident is
closed, was the only response made at
the White house and state department
to an inquiry as to whether President
Taft had accepted the resignation of
Mr.. Crane as minister designate 20
China. 1t was stated that nothing had
been heard from the president today
and that Knox had gone to his Valley
Forge home.
Crane Points to Neglect.
Mr.. Crane. in statement made last
night following his resignation reflect
ed very severely upon the officials Of
the state department. charging that
not only had they refrained from CIV
ing him the instructions usually issued
to minister or ambassador about to
leave for his post, but that he had been
denied access to them even after he
had made repeated appointments with
them.
He enters a sweeping denial of the
charge that he gave OUT newspa-
per story which Is said to be the cause
of his deposition. and places squarely
upon the shoulders Of President Taft
the responsibility for the various utter-
ances he has made regarding condi-
tions in the far east which have
aroused the ire of Secretary Knox,
and for final action upon his resigna-
ton
Mr.. Crane in his statement said:
when I accepted the appointment
the president expressed the earnest
wish that the people be reused to q
H. I,14~ -, {Io c-sf i'm,
He felt our greatest problem lay there
and that our people were not fully
awake to its Importance. The presi.
dent advised me to accept all avail.
table Invitations at public meetings and
! ldianers; and ssid;-- Dent miss any
of them, and insist on speaking and
let them have it red hot !"
Taft's Suggestions.
Il assumed the president wished me
| to discuss the realities. not p1atitudes
| / have not had experience as a public
speaker, but have done my best to car
| ry out the presidents wishes.
"The difficulty was increased by the
absence of specific instructions from
| the state department and of any ade-
ouate discussion with its officials as tc
| the policy of this government.
with the approval of the president
| J. had arranged to go to China viz
| Europe, and have had conferences with
well informed persons of widely oil.
vergent interests and points of view
and had made many valuable ap-
| pointments Knox suggested that il
would be better for me to proceed by
way of the Pacific. My understanding
was that this should be discussed witt
the president, but the secretary said il
| was unnecessary to see the president
81 was told letters would be given te
me and arrangements made for seeing
| important persons in Japan. l have MOI
since seen Knox except last Sunday
| nor had any adequate discussion will
| the department as to the policy befort
my departure. / came to Washington
and with difficulty made a number o
appointments with the first assistan
! secretary of state, none of which M
kept. Even my official credentials were
not ready, when / left Washington.
Scant Courtesy Shown.
"As was hurriedly leaving Wash
ington, a representative of an import
ant paper asked me about the China.
Japan agreement. said the matte
| was under consideration. which wa:
well known, but that no decision wa.
reached. I advised him to get thor
! cughly Informed upon the subject a.
| it would be of the greatest importance
| that it be handled intelligentIy by tn,
4 press IL official action is taken.
THAT is the sum of my offending.
is my Judgment my action was in ac
cordance with the spirit tleast of thu
presidents wishes and furnished NJ
| sufficient excuse for the sensational
and inconsiderate action of the secre
1 tary of state. However, did not seel
this post and absolutely am unwilling
! to remain in it without the entire con
! fidence of the president and the cor
dial support of the government
4 c-oI pApE OF vEhpe 400