The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-08-03

/ was at first opposed In the public in
terest to granting the elimination
which he requested, nevertheless
through the undue influence OF my
brother, Mr. Charles p. TAFT, and the
disclosure Of the real persons In IN
tcrest. was induced improperly aud
for the promotion OF their private
gain, to make the order.
The statement in so far as my broth
er Is concerncd-and that is the chief
feature Of the postscript--is utterly
unfounded. He never wrote to me or
spoke to mo In reference TO Richard
8. Ryan or on the subject Of COntrolle:
Bay or the granting o. any privileges
or the making Of any orders In respect
TO Alaska. lie has no interest in
Alaska, never had, and knows nothing
OF the circumstances connected with
this transaction. He does not remem'
Der that he ever met Richard S. Ryan
lie never heard of the Controller Bay
railroad until my cablegram Of inquiry
reached him which, with his answer
is In the record.
Mr.. Balllnger says In telegram In
answer TO my inquiry, both Of which
nrc in the record that he never re
cei"ed such n postscript and that he
was in Seattle on the date OF July 80
when It was said to have been written
mir. Richard S. Ryan IN letter
whirh la i4u uFithntti
solicitation, and which Is in the
record. says that he never met my
brother, Mr. Charles p. Taft, and
that so far as he knows. Mr.. Charles
p Taft never had the slightest inter
est in Controller Ray, In the Coutroll
or Railway and Navigation company
or in any Alaskan company. and he
utterly denies writing or signing the
alleged postscript The utter improb
ability Of his writing SUCH a postscript
10 Mr. Balingcr ut Washington, when
tho latter was away for his vacation
for two months. must Impress every
one.
Places the Blame.
Tho person upon whose statement
the existence OF what has been proper
" characterized as an amazing post
script Is based, is a writer for newspa.
pnrs and magazines, who was given
permission by Secretary Fisher after
consulting with me to examine all the
files In respect to the Controller Bay
matIcr-and this under the supervision
Of Mr.. Brown, then private secretary
OF the secretary Of the interior
After tho examination, at which Il
Is alleged this postscript was re
coIved from the hand Of Mr. Brown
tho correspondent prepared M olab
crate article on the subject OF
this order and Controller Bay
which was submitted 10 MIR Fisher
and which was discussed with Mr,
Fisher at length. but never In the con
yorsation between them or in the arti
clio submitted did the correspondent
mention the existence Of tho post.
script. Mr. Brown states that there
was no such rostsCrlpt In the papers
when he showed them to the CORE.
spondent and that he never saw such
postscript Similar evidence Is
given by Mr., Carr and other custodlans
OF the records In the interior depart
nlpnt
stronger evidence Of the falsIty and
malIciously slanderous character OF the
alleged postscript could not be had
It's only significance is the light It
throws on the bitterness and venom Of
some of those who take active part In
every discussion OF Alaskan issues.
ScandaImongering Denounced.
81 am IN full sympathy with the con.
corn Of reasonable and patriotic men
that the valuable resources OF Alasks
should not be turned over TO be ex.
plotted for the profit of greedy, absorb,
Ing and monopolstic corporations or
syndlCatcs Whatever the attempts
which have been made. no one, as a
matter Of fact, has secured in Alaska
any undue privilege or franchise not
completely under the control OF con.
gress. am In full agreement with the
view that every care. both In admin
istration and in legislation. must be
observed to prevent the corrupt or un.
fair acquisition of undue privilege.
franchise, or right from the govern.
'ent In that district.
ION the other hand, the acrimony OF
spirit and the intense malice that have
been ensendered in respect of the ad-
minlstration Of the government in
Alaska and In the consideration OF
measures proposed for her relief and
the wanton recklessness and eagerness
with which attempts have been made
to besmirch tho characters of high OF.
ficIals having to do with the Alaskan
and even of persons not
In public life, present a condition that
calls for condemnation and requires
that the public be warned Of the de
moralization that has been produced
by the hysterical suspicious Of good
people and the INSCRIPTIONS and cor
rupt misrepresentation of the wicked.
The helpless state to which the credul.
ity OF some and the malevolent scan.
dal.mongering OF others have brought
the people OF Alaska In their struggle
for its development ought TO give the
public pause, for until a juster and fair.
or view be taken, investment In
Alaska, which is necessary its de
will be impossible. and hon
est administrators and legislators will