New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-16
CRANE KEEPS SILENT
Says Minister Vas Victim of PoIit-
ie1i Intrigue.

Charles r. Crane. who was recalled Just as he
was about 20 start for China and resigned his post
as minister to that country has returned TO his
home at No. 81 West 18th street. 'I will not enter
into any controversy over this matter" he said
yesterday, sand as / have retired from public
life the matter Is at an end"
Walter L. Fisher. Of Chicago. OF his friends.
intimated strongly, however, that the Incident
far from closed, and that revelations which would
be made in due time would show Mr. Crane to
have been the victim Of a political intrigue
while Mr.. Cranes official relations def
'nitely ended" said Mr.. Fisher. "there many
things connected with this matter Of such char
acter and Importance that the American people
must continue to be very deeply concerned In
them Mr.. Crane has preferred not to go into
cussion at this time might be harmful 20 the pub
lie interest
80 far as the personal indgnity and official en-
barrassment that have occurred have been due TO
publicity, the Responsibility is the Department
OF state, and not on Mr.. Crane. He did not even
trust his telegram to the President the ordinary
agencies but took it TO the Presidents secretary,
to be sent in cipher. Not until Secretary Knox
gave out his astounding statement to the press did
Mr. Crane make any public statement. and even
then he purpOsely omitted many important and
significant matters, because 1t might injuriously
affect public interests to mention them now.
IN the long ride across the continent to Wash
ington Mr.. Crane did not mention the reason for
AIS ASCdA- ne COulu not, as ne GlO not kuOW tlC
OFFENDING newspaper article had been published
and did not see it until the day after he reached
Washington. 1t is deeply significant that none OF
the scores OF newspaper men whom he met on his
journey mentioned this article any 'canards'
concerning American protest to Japan. The
Importance OF the article may be judged from
the fact that 1t was not suspected Of being the
cause until the tip was given in washington, and
not from Mr.. Crane.
ut is due to Mr.. Crane also to note that in
carrying out the Presidents wishes that he should
do some vigorous public speaking. and in the
absence of instructions from the State Depart
ment, Mr.. Crane carefully confined himself to the
lines laid down by Mr.. Taft himself in the famous
Shanghai speech ringing with vigorous American
ISM and definitely friendly to the Chinese that
1t ended all talk Of the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of China.
Those who are concerned about whether he
was prO-Japanese or anti-Japanese seem unable
to understand a who has been first, last
and all the time simply pro-American; and, as
the American Minister to China, also prO-Chinese.
His only thought in connection with the offend
ing newspaper article that IL the American
government should decide that its interest in the
open door demanded a protest. the American
press should then be prepared to discuss It in
diligently and effectively.
The effort to involve Mr.. Willard as the real
cause of Mr.. Cranes recall is equally unfOunded.
Mr. Willard had commission to write some maya
zine articles on the Far East and asked If there
was any objection to his travelling on the same
ship with Mr.. Crane who consented, with the
approval OF the President with whom Willard had
once travelled 1t will be recalled that Mr.. Willard
also addressed that celebrated Shanghai meeting
and that Mr.. Taft then publicly spoke Of him as
one who has written much and we'll the Far
East and has given close attention to the statis-
tics of the trade between China and the various
countries of the world
THE fact that because Mr.. Willard is vigorously
pro-Chinese he is put down anti-Japanese may
throw some light the present situation But
caU he
cussed more intelligently and safely as the facts
become public property in the future"