The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-10-13
CRANE ISSUES
STATEMENT on
RESIGNATION
Had Resigned Before secre-
tary Of State Had Asked
Him to Do So
mMNTMvs he MADE NO
MISTAKE N HIS TALK

Fl0tltQdeS ana Claims He Was Act
ing on the Implied Wish II Not In.
structions Of President.
Washington. Oct. 13.-Charles .aR.
Crane of Chicago, minister designate
to China. yesterday was practically
deposed by a demand from Secretary
Knox for his resignation.
Thus new chapter in American
diplomacy was written. A citizen
chosen with special regard for his
qualifications for the post was re-
called before he had embarked from
San Francisco and discharged from
his high Office because of alleged in
discreet disclosures through the press.
Moreover. this minister, breaking
through all the old traditions, insisted
On defending himself from the asper-
sions cast upon him by the secretary
Of state by the issuance of q state
ment which most people here COM
ment upon as certain to be very en-
barrassing to the administration.
The history of this extraordinary
affair, which began about a week ago
with the announcement that Minister
Crane had been stopped at San Fran
cisco at the moment of embarkation
Tor his post by demand from Secre-
tary Knox for his return to Washing
ton, reached at least its first crisis
ha ko
In a formal statement announced that
vited and the minister designate re-
that while his resignation already had
been rendered to the president, he felt
himself very unjustly treated. More
over, Mr.. Crane in his statement re-
aected very severely upon the officials
Df the state department, charging that
not only had they refrained from Civ
Ing him the; Instructions usually is
sued to minister or ambassador
about to leave for his post, but that
be had been denied access to them
even after he had made repeated ap-
pointments with them.
He. enters a sweeping denial of the
charge that he gave out" news
paper story which is said to be the
cause Of his deposition, and places
squarely upon the shoulders of Presi-
dent Taft the responsibility for the
various utterances he has made re-
garding conditions in the far east
which have aroused the ire of Secre-
tary Knox, and for final action upon
his resignation.
Cranes Statement.
"The statement issued by the de-
partment of state is slightly inaccur-
ate in saying that the secretary has
informed me that my resignation will
be accepted. The letter which I re-
ceived from Mr.. Knox at noon says
that he has recommended to the presi-
dent that the president accept my
resignation. Before this letter had
been received by me had already
sent to the president, through his sec
retary, Mr.. Carpenter, the following
Telegram:
Washington, d. c., Oct. IL, 1909.
president William H. Taft: The
,tate department objects to certain
things have done in the effort to
carry out my understanding of your
wishes as expressed by you to me. I
have carefully considered the entire
matter. In my judgment no mistake
has been made, except as the depart
ment has made 1t a mistake. How
ever, Il did not and cannot guarantee
TO make no mistakes, and especially
unless have the cordial support and
cooperation of the government. The
manner in which the department has
proceeded and is proceeding is incon-
Iistent with my own self-respect and
my conception of the dignity Of the
position and with the understanding
upon which / accepted 1t. I appreci-
ate the personal consideration have
received from you and under all the
circumstances have decided to await
Information as to your wishes before
taking action. You will understand,
OF course, that my resignation is in
your hands. Signed,
Charles R. Crane
"The statement of the department 10
further inaccurate In saying that
gave out newspaper story about
the preparation of protest in regard
Japan. 1t would have been more ac-
curate II the statement had said vas
was indicated in its own closing para
graph, that a brief conversation of
mine with newspaper reporter con-
tributed to the publication by him of
Q adiscussion Of this agreement, and the
possibility Of protest by this governs
ment and that the department regard
ed this conversation as 'indiscreet."
The publication referred to did not
mention my name, nor in my judg-
ment would 1t have been mistake IL
the department of state had not
chosen to vouch for its accuracy and
give to 1t an official significance by
its own conduct.
1T certainly contained nothing of
substance that was not matter of
common knowledge or deducible by
any competent newspaper reporter
ernm facts commonly known. The sub