Evening star., 1909-06-15
WAS HELD UP
RooseveIt's Compliment Never
Reached PIunkett.
CAUSES STIR IN IRELAND
Was Addressed to Ambassador
Bryce March 2 Last. /.
QUESTIONS IN THE COMMONS.
Government Likely to Be Inter
rogated With Regard to Appar-
ent Slight to Ex-Presideut.
QUESTIONS IN THE COMMONS.
Special Cableeram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, June 15.--The Times pub
fishes the following. from Its Dublin
correspondent:
The Irish Homestead, the weekly organ
Of the Irish Agricultural Organization So
ciety. prints the subjoined letter from Mr.:
Roosevelt to the British ambassador at
Washington. The letter was written
from the White House. Washington. and
is dated March 2. 1909. two days before
Mr.. Roosevelt ceased to be President OF
the United States.
Dear Mr. Bryce: You have. 1 know.
followed with keen interest the work OF
the country life commission. which has
pointed the way. as I think, TO better
handling Of country problems and a more
satisfying life on the farms. l do not
know how far you are acquainted with
the origin Of the movement In the United
States OF course l have been interested
for many years in farm life. and es-
pecially in the tasks and troubles OF the
women on the farm. but my interest
did not reach the point OF action until
compiished through the farmers COOP
erative movement in Ireland. My OLD
friend Horace Plunkett. whom | saw on
his periodical journeys to America, kept
me informed Of the Irish agricultural Sit
uation and Of the movement for better
living on the farms Of Ireland.
Owe Much to Plunkett.
I'VE Americans owe much to Ireland
and to Plunkett in the work We nave
been trying to do in the United States,
and before I leave the presidency l want
to acknowledge our debt and to send
through you my thanks for the help we
have had. and not only my thanks. but
the thanks OF every man who KNOWS
what has been done and sees the need
and the sure results Of this great move
ment to help the men and women who
feed the nation and stand at the founda-
ton of its greatness and Its progress.
Sincerely yours.
This important and gratifying letter Is
now published for the first time In the
United Kingdom. The editor of the
Irish Homestead explains that 1t was
published recently In Wallace's Farmer.
a we'll known American paper conducted
by Henry Wallace, who was member
commission. Mr.. Wallace had seen the
letter and obtained copy for publication
with the object OF throwing some light
on the origin of the country life move
ment in the United States.
The manner of this letters publication
tunate and requires to be explained. Here
we have the official head OF a great ma
tion expressing in letter to the am
bassador Of another nation his desire to
tinguished citizen OF the empire which
the ambassador represents 1t must. of
course. be assumed that Mr.. Bryce for
warded Mr. Roosevelt's letter to the Sec
retary for foreign affairs.
Letter Never Forwarded.
1t is to be assumed also that Sir Ed
ward Grey communicated the contents of
the letter to the chief secretary for Ire
land, who would no doubt be the official
medium for conveying Mr.. Roosevelt's
thanks to Sir Horace Plunkett and his
assistants in the cooperative movement
l am authorized to state. however. that
the government never forwarded the let
.er to Sir Horace Plunkett.
An explanation of the governments ac-
ton seems to be due both to Sir Horace
Plunkett and to Mr.. Roosevelt. not to
mention that general public which is
concerned for the honorable conduct of
British administration.
II no explanation is forthcoming Irish
men will certainly believe that Mr..
Roosevelt's high compliment to Sir Hor-
ace Plunkett was dismissed at the bid
ding of the Irish nationalist party. Mr..
Roosevelts letter was a most untimely
and very damaRing commentary on the
justice and wisdom of this action.
No doubt the matter will be made
the subject of questions in the house
OF commons. There must be many
English members of parliament who,
though Indifferent to the Irish Coop
tive movement will take a rather
serious view of the disregard of the
wishes of the President Of the United
States. The suppression OF an important
letter intended for publication seems to
demand inquiry not less urgently than
the circulation OF letters which should
never have been printed