Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-13
CRANE ANSWERS KNOX.
Deposed Minister to China Accuses
Taft Of Telling Him TO Talk.


Washington. Oct. 13.-Charles r.
Crane, minister designate to China
whose resignation was demanded by
Secretary Knox yesterday, gave out the
following statement last night:
1.-The statement issued by the de-
partment OF state is slightly Inaccurate
in saying that the secretary of state
Informed me that my resignation would
be acceptable. The letter that / re-
ceived from Mr.. Knox at noon today
says that he has recommended to the
president that he accept my resigna-
ton. Before this letter had been re-
ceived by me l had already sent to
the president thru his secretary, Mr..
Carpenter. the following telegram:
Washington, D. c.. Oct. 10, 1905
President William H. Taft: The state
department objects to certain things I
have done in the effort to carry out my
understanding of your wishes as ex-
pressed by you to me. / have carefully
considered the entire matter and be-
lieve no mistake has been made. How
ever. did not and can not guarantee
to make mo- mistake, and especially
unless I have the cordial support and
co. operation Of the government The
manner in which the department has
proceeded and is proceeding is incon-
sistent with my own self-respect and
my conception Of the dignity of the
position and with the understanding
upon which I accepted it. I appreciate
the personal consideration I have re-
ceived from You and under all circum-
stances / have decided to await infor-
nation as to your wishes before taxi
ing action You will understand, of
course, that my resignation is in your
hands Charles r. Crane
The state department is further in
accurate in saying that I gave out the
story about a protest in regard to the
agreement between China and Japan.
1t would have been more accurate If
the secretary of state had said that
brief conversation of mine with a
newspaper representative contributed
to the discussion by him OF this dis
agreement and the possibility of a pro-
test by this government The publica-
ton did not mention my name nor in
my Judgment would it have been a
mistake if the department of state had
chosen to vouch for It.
ut certainly contained nothing Of
substance that was not a matter of
common knowledge or deductable by
any competent newspaper reporter
from facts commonly known. The sub
stance of the full text of the agreement
had been published and it's effect had
been widely discussed AS an illustra-
ton of this. the New York Herald had
published on September 9 the following
dispatch:
/ ".sTokio, Wednesday The Toxic
press regrets that the lingo American
press Is making protest against Japan
regarding the Japanese situation. 1t
states that the Manchurian railways
are being operated in accordance with
| Americas long cherished motto Of the
open door policy. Moreover, it adds,
the convention is now an accomplished
fact and America can not change it,
however much 1t dislikes IT.
The publication complained OF by
the state department was not made I'M
til Sept IT, This also has a significant
bearing on the recent canards' in the
secretary's telegram to me at San
Francisco
In order to understand how this
matter came to be mentioned 1t is nee
essary to make brief explanation
When I accepted the appointment d
minister to China at the request Of the
president and afterwards he expressed
the earnest wish that the people OF this
country should be aroused to a keer
interest in the Pacific. he said that III
felt that our greatest problem Jay
there
'dAs l stated in a public address ii
Chica go on Sept. IA, the president adj
vised me TO accept all invitations t.
public dinners available, and to insist
on being allowed to speak and to lie
, them have it red hot
st have done my best to carry on
the presidents wishes.
The difficulty has also been increas
ed by the absence of specific instruc
, tions from the state department as T.
, the policy of this government. l hav
been much gratified that no criticism
had come to me from an official sourc
until last week.
With the previous approval OF tn
= president had arranged TO go to Chin
. by the way OF Europe so that I coul
2 have conferences with influential per
A sons of widely divergent interests an
points OF view and / have many val
1 liable appointments. 1t has been sug
s gested by Mr.. Knox that 1t would b
: better for me to proceed by way of tn
t Pacific Contrary to my understandin
e that this matter had been fully dis
cussed with the president in confer
ence with Secretary Knox. the secre
tary informed me that it would be un
:. necessary to see the president and
> should go by way of Japan 1t wa
!. then agreed that i should sail on Oct.
Il was told letters would be give
!, to me and arrangements for seeing i'm
portant persons in Japan. ] have NJ
since seen Secretary Knox except o
. Sunday nor have I had any adequat
:. discussion with the department as
its policy.
II came to Washington and wit
=. considerable difficulty made numbt
of Appointments with the first assistar
y secretary of state, not one of whic
did he keep. Not even my official ere
"a dentials were ready for me when l le
l. Washington for San Francisco. 1 ha,
y. not examined the papers.
j. "As I was hurriedly leaving Wasf
nc ington, representative of an impor
ic ant paper asked me about the Chinf
Japan agreement and said the matt
was Under consideration, as was We
known. but that no decision had bee
. reached, and l may have said. altho
u.