New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-27

deemed wise TO spread on the face of
was made TO afford terminals for the
Controller Railway and Navigation Com
pany. and as no one else was expected to
intervene and take up any part OF the
eliminated tract the restoration was
made immediate The form thus
amended was submitted TO the Secretary
Of Agriculture. who expressed his pref
erenCe for the immediate restoration or
der. When | directed the striking out
Of the reference to the railway company
and the enlargement Of the area from
$40 acres TO 1880 acres, the form of the
order in its provision for immediate res
toration was not changed. / have no
doubt that this was the reason why the
order issued took the form it did. Had
the postponement clause been suggested.
| would doubtless have directed it to be
embodied in the order But the event
has proven that it was really not i'm
portant in this case. for in now nearly
nine months only the Controller Rail
way and Navigation Company has made
any scrip entries on the eliminated
tract"
Taking up the "Dick-to-Dick" episode,
the President says, in conclusion:
Before closing. desire to allude to cir
cumstance which the terms of this resolu-
ton make apt and relevant. It IS state 81 an
examination of the niles of the Interior
Department few weeks ago She found a
pcs s9G he to Rss sT S R }gy TO-
Secretary battle-ground in the present
enough for terminals for the Controller
Railway and Navigation Company. The
postscript was said 10 read as follows:
/ went to see the President the other
day. He asked me who II was | repre-
scented. ! told MIN. according TO our
But this didn't seem to satisfy him. so
l sent for Charlie Taft and asked him TO
tell his brother, the President, who II
was | really represented. The President
made no further objection TO my claim
Yours, DlCh.
The postscript is not now on the files OF
tho department.. II il were II would be
my duty TO transmit il under this resol u-
ton | do not transmit II. not only for
the reason that II Is not now on the files OF
the department. but for the reason that II
never was on the files of the department
at least as an authentic document. Who
is really responsible for its wicked fabrica-
ton, If IL ever existed or for the ViciOusly
false statement made as to its authenticity.
is immaterial for the purposes of this COM
municaion. The purport Of the postscript
IS, and the intention of the fabricator was,
to make Mr. Richard S. Ryan testify
through its words TO the public that al
though was at first opposed in the public
interest 10 granting the elimination which
through IL
due influence OF my brother. Mr. Charles
?. Taft. and the disclosure OF the real per-
sons in interest. ! was induced Improperly
and for the promotion of their private gain,
TO make the order
The statement. in so far my brother is
concerned-and that IS the chief feature of
the postSCript-is utterly unfOunded. lie
never wrote to me or spoke to me i'm ref
erenCe TO Richard s. Ryan or on the sub
iect of Controller Bay or the granting Of
any privilege or the making OF any orders
in respect to Alaska He has no interest
in Alaska never had. and knows nothing
of the circumstances connected with this
transaction. He does not remember that
he ever met Richard 5. Ryan. lie never
heard of the Controller Bay Railroad until
my cablegram of inquiry reached linn.
which. with his answer. is in, the record.
Mr.. Bdllinger says in a telegram in an
swer to my inquiry, both Of which are in
the record, that he never received such a
postscript and that he was I'm Seattle on
the date of July 49, when IL was said 10
have been written.
Mr. Richard 5. Ryan. In a letter which he
has sent me without 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 interest i'm Con
troller Bay, in the Controller Railway and
Company and he utterly denies writing or
signing the alleged postscript. The utter
improba bility OF his writing such post
script to Mr.. Ballinger at Washington.
when the latter was away for his vacation
for two months, must impress every one.
The fact IL that Mr.. Balinser never saw
the letter OF July 12, 1910. to which this
postscript is said to have been attached
II was sent to me by Mr.. Carr. Secretary
Ballinger's private secretary. at Beverly
on July 1.-THE next day. ! read the letter
at Beverly in August, with other papers.
and sent them to the White House. II
was placed upon the White House files
and remained there until April % 1871,
when IT was by request Of Secretary Fisher
returned to the Interior Department and
II was after this that Miss Abbott says
taChed. Mr.. Carr saw 10 such postscript
when he sent tho letter 10 me. I did not
see It when | read IL. No one saw it I'm
the executive Office. but it remained TO APP
pear as a postscript when Miss Abbott
saw the letter In April or May on the files
Of the Interior Department All others
were denied the sight.
The person upon whose statement the
existence of what has been properly char
acterized as ar amazing postscript is based
is writer for the newspapers and maya
zines She was given permission by Score
tary Fisher. after consultation with me. 10
examine all tho files I'm respect TO the Con-
troller Bay ma,ter-and this under the
supervision of Mr.. Brown. then private
secretary 10 the Secretary Of the Interior
After the examination, at which she al
leges she received this postscript from the
hand Of Mr.. Brown. she prepared an elabo-
rate article on the subject Of this order
and Controller Pay which she submitted
10 Mr. FISHER, and which She discussed
With Mr. Fisher "a a. i sT out never eve In
istence Of the postscript. Mr.. Brown. VINO
was with her at the time and showed her
the files, testihes that there was no such
post script I'm tho papers, and that he never
handed her and sire never saw such post
script there. Similar evidence - given by
Mr.. Carr and other custodians of the rec
ords I'm the Interior Department.
Stronger evidence Of the falsity ard ma
lcouSly ssndcrCUs character Of the al
legged postscript could not be had. Its only
significance is the light 1t throws on the
take active part In every discussion of
Alaskan issues. The intensity Of their dc
sire 20 bosmirch all who invest I'm that
district. and all who are officially con
nected with its administration. operates
q pou the minds Cf weak or denraved hui
man instruments and prompts he fabrica-
tion OF such false testimony as this most
script ] dislike TO dwell upon this feature
Of the case. but II is so full OF a lesson that
ought 80 no taken TO the heart Of every
patriotic citizen that ] cannot pass II over
IN silence.
When ] made this order ] was aware
that the condition Of public opinion in ref
cicnce TO investments I'm Alaska. famed By
charges Of Handsome well founded and
others ~ an hvstcrcal and unjust or false
lead 10 an attack upon
II and 10 the questioning Of my motives
ia signing H. ! remarked this when I
mad the order and | was not mistaken
Rut a public officer when he conceives u