Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-27


the letter at Beverly in August with other
papers and sent them TO the White House.
1t was placed upon the White House files
and remained there until April %, 1911,
when IL was, by request of Secretary
Fisher, returned to the Interior depart
ment. and 1t was after this that Miss Abb
bolt says she saw the letter with the post
script attached. Mr.. Carr saw no such
postscript when he sent the letter to me.
did not see It when read 1t. No one
saw It in the executive office but It re-
NAMED to appear as q postscript when
Miss Abbott saw the letter in April or
May on the files Of the Interior depart
ment. All others were denied the sight.
POstscFipt Never I'm Files.
THE person upon whose statement the
existence of what has been properly
characterized as an amazing postscript Is
based Is writer for the newspapers and
magazines She was given permission by
Secretary Fisher, after consultation with
me. to examine all the files in respect to
the Controller bay matter-and this under
the supervision Of Mr.. Brown, then pri-
vate secretary to the secretary OF the in
terror. After the examination, at which
she alleges she received this postscript
from the hand of Mr.. Brown, she prepared
an elaborate article on the subject of this
order and Controller bay which she sub
mitted to Mr.. Fisher, and which she dis
cussed with Mr.. Fisher at length, but
never in the conversation did she mention
the existence of the postscript. Mr..
Brown, who was with her at the time and
showed her the files. testifies that there
was no such postscript in the papers, and
that he never handed her and she never
saw such a postscript there. Similar evil
dence is given by Mr.. Carr and other
custodians OF the records in the Interior
department !rs i,
Stronger evidence of the falsity and,
malicfously slanderous character of the
alleged postscript could not be had. Its
only significance is the light II throws
on the bitterness and venom Of some OF
those. who take active part in every dis
cussion of Alaskan issues. The intensity Of
their desire to besmirch all, who invest in
that district, and all who are officially
connected with its administration, oper-
ates upon the minds of weak or depraved
human instruments and prompts the fabri-
cation OF such false testimony as this post
script. 1 dislike to dwell upon this fea-
a
lesson that ought to be taken to the heart
OF every patriotic citizen that cannot
pass 1t over in silence.
Does Not Fear Unjust Criticism.
when 1 made this order / was aware
that the condition of public opinion in ref
erence to investments in Alaska famed
by charges OF Troublesome well founded
and others OF an hystericai and unjust or
70 oh
upon 1t and to the questioning of my mo-
tives in signing It. I remarked this when
/ made the order. and was not mistaken.
But public officer, when he conceives
It his duty to take affirmative action in
the public interest, has no more right TO
allow fear of unjust criticism and attack
to hinder him from taking that action
than he would to allow personal and dis
honest motives to affect him. 1t is easy
in cases like this to take the course which
timidity prompts. and to do nothing, but
such course does not inure to the public
veal.
II am in full sympathy with the concern
Of reasonable and patriotic men that the
valuable resources of Alaska should not be
turned over to be exploited for the profit
Of greedy. absorbing, monopoIlstic corpor-
tempts which have been made. no one, as
matter of fact. has secured in Alaska
any undue privilege or franchise not com
pletely under the control of congress, and
in all the scandal with which the public
has been RECALLED very few specific in
stances Of corrupt or improper attempts
to acquire vested interests in Alaska have
been shown by evidence that would stand
the test OF judicial examination. Notwith-
standing this, however 1 am in full agree
ment with the view that every care both
In administration and In legislation, must
be observed to prevent the corrupt or I'M
| fair acquisition OF undue privilege, fran
chises or right from the government in
that district But every one must know
that the resources OF Alaska can never
become available either 10 the people of
Alaska or to the people OF the United
States unless reasonable opportunity is
granted to those who would invest their
money to secure a return proportionate to
the risk run in the investment and rea-
sonable under all the circumstances
Hysteria flinders DEVELOPMENT,
''on the other hand, the harmony of spirit
and the intense malice that have engen-
dered In respect OF the administration of
the government in Alaska and In the con-
sideration OF measures proposed for it's
relief and the wanton recklesspess and
eagerness with which attempts have been
made to besmirch the characters of high
officials having TO do with the Alaskan gov
eminent, and even OF persons not in public
life, present a condition that calls for con-
demnation and requires that the public be
warned OF the decentralization that has been
produced by the hysterical suspicious Of
good people and the unscrupulous and cor
rupt MISREPRESENTATION OF the wicked. The
helpless state to which the credunty Of
some and the maievoient scandal mongering
OF others have brought the people OF Alaska
In their strDggle for its development. ought
to give the public pause for until juster
and fairer view be taken investment In
Alaska. which u necessary to It's develop