The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-15
ANOTHER IILLMAN CASE.
TAFT REFUSES TO RECEIVE con-
GRESSMAN HARRISON OF NEW
YORK.
Piqued by Criticism of Ballinger Let
ter--Represcntative Harrison Issues
Statement Scoring Executive for Re-
senting Discussion OF His Political
Moves.

sentative Francis Burton Harrison,
Democrat OF New York. who called
at the White House in company with
two other representatives to intro
duce a number OF Jewish rabbis who
took up with the president the quest
ion OF the expulsion OF Jews from
Russia.
The president received the delega-
ton and chatted with its various men,
bers for is minutes or more. Rep
resentative Goldfogle OF New York
acted as spokesman for the party.
and so adroitly had the situation been
handled by Secretary Norton that no
one of the callers knew anything OF
the incident until Representative Har-
rison returned to the capitol and
made a statement to the effect that
ne had been rebuffed by the presi.
dent.
Dir. Taft based his refusal to see
Mr.. Harrison On statements attr!but-
ed by newspapers u the representa-.
tive. In connection with his resolution
In the house calling upon Attorney
General wickersham for full informa-
ton as TO the connection Of his office
with the Ballinger-P -Pinchot episode.
Mr.. Harrison. according to the White
House version OF the matter, charged
the president and the attorney general
with having wilfully attempted to
mislead congress In the backdating of
the attorney generals summary Of
the CLAWS charges against the secre-
tary of the interior. Mr.. Harrison
was first quoted as having declared
that he could assign no reason for the
presidents action. He said he had
made the engagement with the presi-
dent some 10 days ago and had re-
ceived no intlmation that his pres
ence at the White House was unde.
sirable.
Secretary Norton was at first un-
willing to discuss the incident In any
way. Later when he was informed Of
the positive statements made by Mr.
Harrison. he told the story Of what
happened. He declared that the presi-
dent had no purpose of publicly hu-
initiating the congressman. as had
been charged. and that nothing would
have been said regarding the affair
II Mr.. Harrison himself had not made
the matter public. Mr.. Norton said
IL was indeed his understanding that
nothing should be said.
IL was the first time Mr. Norton had
ever met Mr.. Harrison and when the
two were alone. the presidents desire
having been expressed privately, the
secretary said he was extremely sorry
that the first meeting should be the
occasion OF a disagreeable duty. He
told Mr.. Harrison the president would
not see him.
Mr.. Harrison. according TO Mr.. Nor
.on. said he thought he knew why II
was-the statement he had made re-
gardlng the connection OF the presi-
dent and the attorney general with
the Ballinger- Plnchot controversy.
Mr.. Norton said ne had not seen
the statement and consequently was
somewhat in the dark. He asked
Mr.. Harrison to send him copy Of
what he had said.
Mr.. Harrison was quoted on May
IL as having said OF the backdating
Of the wickersham summary:
The confession OF the attorney
general amounts to a conclusion that
the president and attorney general
had agreed to furnish to congress mis-
leading information TO supply an Of
ficial document as OF one date. which
was really many weeks later"
Mr.. Harrison tonight made the fol-
lowing statement:
1T Is unfortunate for the president
that he can not stand criticism; II Is
unfortunate for the country that he
can not stand the truth. My newspa-
per statement at which he takes Of
fonse was merely an exposition Of the
scandalous fact that the president
had sent TO the senate Of the United
States an official document In the
Ballinger-Pinchot controversy OF
which the date had been wilfully falsi-
fed by being pre-datcd. My resolu-
tion Of inquiry drew out this infor-
nation In a written confession by the
attorney general
1T Is of no concern 10 me that
am not welcome at the White House.
but II Is of concern 10 every Amcri-
can citizen that statement OF the
truth about the president may render
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