The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-11-15
ROW RAISE
BY CRANE 5
RECALL
Big Men of Chicago Leading an
Agitation That Will
Not Down.
TAFT AND KNOX ATTACKED
Charge Is Made That Financial
Interests Were Cause of
Dismissal.
TAFT AND KNOX ATTACKED
BY Ernest G.. Walker.

WASHINGTON, October 31-Chica-
go is making an oriental issue. The
rest of the country is giving some at
teton. 1t is a Charles R. Crane issue,
out of the dismissal of that gentle
man as minister to China following his
recall from the very waters edge at
San Francisco. Some big men out in
the windy city are leading the agita-
ton, which, it appears, will not down.
The deposed minister is convinced
that a big game in high finance figured
in his undoing. 1t was nearly a month
ago that he came to Washington for
conference with Secretary of State
Knox about his alleged injudicious ut
terances to correspondent of the Chi
cago Record Herald regarding a treaty
between China and Japan affecting
mining resources in Manchuria. In
the interim Mr.. Crane has been living
much of the time in New York trying
to ferret out the facts. He claims
to have information justifying his con-
illusions and his Chicago friends, who
have now hidden him to a public dim
ner as a testimonial of their confidence
and esteem propose TO stand by him.
HWe desire in this public manner
they say, Ito express our appreciation
of your character and disinterested pub
lie services
Interests at Work.
The cry goes forth that J. Pierpont
Morgan and other very rich men in
New York have made ready to invest
large sums of money in China. They
want minister to China who will be
at least sympathetic and who certainly
will not he Indifferent to their activ
tiles or sympathetic with rival fnan-
ciers The charge indicates that Mr..
Crane was not the kind of man these
fnanciers desired and that they made
set against him, rounding out a case
which appealed to Secretary Knox.
Then the newspaper article afforded an
excuse for putting Mr.. Crane out of
the diplomatic service and it was sliced
upon at the very last moment, when Mr..
Crane was about to quit the country
Secretary Knox is known in Washing
ton as a man who would be unlikely to
allow himself to be made a catspaw for
any group of fnanciers. Those most
familiar with his characteristics in Of
fee do not think for a moment that
Mr.. Knox would knowingly lend a
hand to New York fnanciers intent up
on exploiting China for the large in
terest returns they could expect upon
their money. The Crane incident, how
ever. has severely provoked Mr., Crane s
influential friends. They have news
papers and votes and apparently are
ready to harass the state department
and the President
Knox Was Careless.
Some are saving it may be that Sec
retarv Knox has not been as careful as
he might be in scrutinizing the repre-
sensations that have come to him from
interested sources The state depart
ment has been quietly but very effec-
lively encouraging the investment of
American capital in distant countries.
Mr.. Knox predecessor, now Senator
FGhu Root and also former Secretary
Robert Bacon encouraged New York
bankers to look up investment oppor-
tunities in South America. While their
actions were within the bounds of pro-
prietv and of national interest, both
these secretaries are supposed to have
been COl6TdblN ciDSc u sumo VI tiiS N'N'
York fnanciers who have already put
several millions of money into South
American securities. So successful were
these ventures. some of which at least,
were arranged in considerable part by
the late ". T. Buchanan. that the New
York moneved men began casting en-
vious glances at China.
These countries. where government
has not attained an advanced state and
where developments in transportation
and other modern utilities have been
backward. are said to afford splendid
opportunities for large interest returns.
Much has been achieved in recent years
toward the security and stability Of the
governments in question. The people
are awakening to the necessities OF
more and better railroads, street car
systems. electric lighting, modern sew !
erage systems and all that. These !
things require considerable sums OF /
money Capitalists to invest in such !
enterprises do not abound IN China or /
in South America.
A Selfish Invasion.
The popularity Of such financial ven |
lures in New York has been stimulated /
by experiences in Cuba, American !
fnanciers invaded the island, took up /
all the good things in sight in Havana /
and extended their operations over the