The National tribune., 1909-10-14

started on his long transcontinental ride
Immediately afterward.
Secretary of State Knox dealt sum-
mariiy with the new Minister. An arti-
Gle appeared in the Chicago Record
Herald regarding a Japanese-Chinese
treaty affecting mines in Manchurla.
The Secretary insisted that news about
the intention of the United states to
protest against that treaty could nave
leaked from no one but Mr.. Crane. The
fact that the same paper had advance
information about the appointment of
Mr.. Crane as Minister increased the
disapproval of the Secretary of State.
Mr.. Knox and Mr.. Crane have had
some very spicy exchanges in WASH
inGton. Great efforts to preserve Sc
crecy were made, but gradually the es-
sential points reached the public. On
Monday il began to look as tho the
Secretary of State were about to chop
off the Minister'S official head. He wired
to President Taft his views of Mr..
Cranes unfitness for the post. Early
Tuesday morning Mr.. Crane, thoroiy
enraged at Mr.. Knox, went over the
latter's head by wiring his resignation
to President Taft BY that time it had
become certain Mr.. Crane could not
remain in the Diplomatic Service. The
publicity attending his journey to
efficiency should he proceed to Pekin.
The dismissal of the Minister is un-
preeedented in recent annals of the
State Department. altho in former times
there were some cases resembling the
present one. Ex-senator Henry w.
Blair, of New Hampshire, was recalled
during the Harrison Administration
while on the way to Pehin to become
Minister to China. But that was De
cause the Chinese Government informed
Washington he would be persona non
srata on account of speeches he had
made against the Chinese. The Chinese
Government approved of the appoint
ment of Mr.. Crane, and his troubles
were entirely On this side of the Pacific,
while Mr.. Blair's were on the other
side.
This action makes it incumbent upon
President Taft TO start a new search
for a Minister to China. He had great
difficulty finding a suitable man, and 1t
was several weeks after he had began
to scrutinize the field before he settled
upon Mr.. Crane. The latter visited the
President at Beverly, and the President
felt for a time that he had made a
reached the Pacific Coast it is under
stood the President WAS beginning to
doubt whether Mr. Crane had the req
uisite diplomatic training. Secretary
Knox was doubtful of the wisdom OF
Mr.. Cranes appointment. It is due to
the Secretary's prompt interference
that the appointment has been annulied-'
Secretary of State Knox sent the lit
tie message speeding from his farm IN
Valley Forge, Pa, to San Francisco that
brought about the transcontinental re-
turn Naturally the change of program
for such a notable parsonage attracted
immediate attention, and as the revo-
luton of the locomotive wheels brought
Mr.. Crane nearer and nearer to WASH
ington speculation grew. Half dozen
reasons were studied out Mr. Crane
professed all along the extended route
that he did not know himself why he
had been called back.
A Sunday Conference.
He arrived in Washington Sunday.
The previous evening Secretary of State
Knox had quietly come down to Wash
ington from his Valley Forge farm.
When Miaister Crane arrived he said he
did not expect to meet Secretary Knox
TIL Monday, but along in the evening
he slipped away from his hotel, and at
midnight left the residence of Secretary
Knox on X street. The Counselor of
the State Department, AIr. Henry NJ
conference. and Mr.. Crane remained
in Washington for two or three days of
this week for further consultation.
Something of an official character VIII
be said before Mr. Crane leaves town.
Secretary Knox has. made a statement,
and Mr.. Crane is preparing one.
In some quarters il was thought the
new Minister had offended by recent
public utterances- A speech before the
Asiatio Society in New York some weeks
ago contained statements that might be
regarded as indiscreet, but those who
were present say the speech as a whole
was entirely proper, and that illusions
10 Secretary Knox's efforts to hold up
the Chinese Government TO obtain a
share in the railroad loan when taken
in connection with the context were not
indiscreet. The Minister explained that
he had been ayerss to speech-naking,
and had told the President so. but the
President advised him TO go ahead and.
do the best he could.
The japanese afanuyers. r
The sitting process gradually demon
strated that Minister Crane had been
recalled TO discuss very recent develops
nents in Manchuria, in which the Jap
anese have shown considerable aggres-
sion, and especially the Chicago.
Record Herald article pertaining there
to. Early in September Enyoys of
China and Japan signed a treaty at
Peking relating to Manchuria. One ar
ticIe relates TO coal mines at FuShun
and Yuental, close to the Antung-M Muk-
den Railway and the main line of the
South NanchuTian Railway. In that
article China recognizes the right Of the
Japanese to work those mines, which
are said to be rich and practically in
exhaustibie.' The japanese Government
agrees to respect the fun sovereignty of
China and 10 pay the Chinese Govern
1neat a royalty on all coal mined, but
at the lowest rates charged by any
other coal mines in China.
The treaty also seems to have con-
Neyed very comprehensive privileges to
tie japanese in all mines in the vicinity
OF the Antung-M Mukden and the South
ern Manchurian Railways. Those mines
OF precious metals are supposed TO be
very rich. American investors have
mad their eyes upon those mines for
many years and IL is understood that
considerable American Investments have
already been made there. The agree
1nents are looked upon as violating the
declared policy OF the open door in
Aanchuria and also of the gentIeraep's
agreement between Secretary of State
Root and japanese ambassador Taxa
hira. In which IL was stipulated thai
neither Nation would take any steps
concerning China without consulting
with the other.
American Interests to Be Protected.
The text of the treaty reached Wash
ington Just before Secretary Knox sent
q message from his farm at Valley
Forge, asking Minister Crane to come
back to Washington. II is believed that
II a M f~fa .Ts:R