Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1909-10-15
|C ! I |
From | | : : ! HIS POST
Informed u u Thai i Resignation
Will Be Accepted
INTERVIEW WITH KNOX.

Admits TO Secretary Of State That He
Was Responsible for the Publica-
ton Of Certain Articles Referring
to the American View Of the Chino.
Japanese Agreement-state Depart.
rnent Issues Statement.
Washington, Oct. 1s. Secretary Ct
State Knox has Informed Charles R.
Crane, minister designate to China,
that he would accept his resignation.
Mr.. Crane has already advised Che
secretary that he was prepared to re.
Sign if the recent developments had
made his further service in that posi-
tion embarrassing to the department.
Mr.. Knox has advised President Taft
of his action. In announcing his ac-
ton Mr.. Knox gave out the following
statement:
"rhe department. of state has been
engaged for some time in making
The usual study of the recent agree.
nents between China and JAPAN in
relation to Manchuria, from such data
bearing upon the situation at is was
able: to secure, with view of deter
mining whether there is ANYTHING in
the agreements adversely affecting
American. interests or in conflict with
the principle of equal opportunities to-
which the powers are pledged; 4
study not yet concluded and in re-
spect to which no decision has been
reached. While this investigation
was proceeding MIR. Crane, the minis
ter to China, CAME to the department
and while there was informed by one
Of the clerks that such an examina-
ton was being made.
without consultation with the act
ing secretary or any other responsible
officer of the department and with.
cut the knowledge or authority Of
any one connected with the depart
ment Mr.. Crane gave out a newspa-
per story to the effect that this gov.
eminent was preparing to protest
against some features of the agree
ments and that the PRONUNCIATION of
the protest only awaited the return
of an fficial who was to formulate
it. The story appeared in Western
paper and at the same time or day
later in the Japanese press and sub.
sequently was generally published.
Knox Recalls Mr.. Crane.
"Such were the representations
made to me Oct. 1 by the responsible
officers of the department Of state,
accompanied by their statement that
they had sufficient reason to believe
them to be true. WEereupon I sent
Mr.. Crane at San Francisco the fol:
lowing telegram, dated Oct. 3, 1909: :
"'You have been charged with the
responsibility for the canards recent
ly appearing in the Japanese and
American press to the effect that the
United States is preparing to pro-
test against the Chinese-Japanese
agreement. The evidence that you
are responsible for this is Of such a
character as warrants me in direct.
ing you to come to Washington at
once and meet it. If you are not re-.
sponsible, as hope you are not, mat
tiers relating tO oriental affairs have
developed since you left Washington
to make it advisable for me to COM
nunicate WITH You personally and in
the utmost confidence in relation
thereto
AT conference with Mr.. Crane
he admitted having an indiscrete talk
with reporter which resulted in the
publications referred to and, assum-
ing responsibility, stated that If the
;ndiscretion was grave enough to
shake cIy: confidence in his useful
ness he would willingly resign. ] have
reluctantly reached the conclusion
that the good of the service demands
that should inform Mr.. Crane that
his resignation will be accepted and