Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-07-27
TAFT SHOULDERS
RESPONSIBILITY
CONTINUED from pngc one)

MIR. Richard s. Ryan testify through its
words to the public that although I was
at first opposed in the public interest to
granting the elimination which he re-
quested, nevertheless through the undue
Influence of my brother, Mr. Charles p.
Taft, and the disclosure of the real per-
sons in interest, ] was induced improper
ly and for the promotion of their private |
gain, to make the order.
The statement, In 80 far as my brother |
ia concerned-and that Is the chlAf !
feature of the postscrips-is utterly un- |
founded. He never wrote 10 me or spoke |
TO me in reference to Richard S. Ryan
or on the subject of Controller bay or the !
granting Of any privileges 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
s. Ryan. He never heard Of the Con-
troler Bay railroad until my cablcRram
Of inquiry reached him. which, with his
answer, Is in the record.
Mr.. Ballinger says in a telegram in
answer to my inquiry. both of which are
in the record. that he never received such
postscript and that he was in Seattle
on tho date of July 10, when it was said
| to have been written.
Mr.. Richard S. 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 Taft.
and that so far as he knows. MIR. Charles
p Taft never had the slightest interest
| in Controller Bay, in the Controller
Railway & Navigation Co. or in any
! Alaskan company, and he utterly denies
writing or signing the alleged postscript.
| The utter improhahitv of his writing
such a postscript to Mr.. Ballnger at
Washington, when the latter was away
for his vacation for two months, must
! impress everyone.
BAIL1NGER NEVER SAW LETTER.
The fact Is that Mr.. Ballinger never
saw the letter of July 10. 1910. to
| which this postscript is said to have
! been attached. 1t was sent to me by
MIR. Carr Secretary Ballinger's private
secretary, at Beverly, on July 14-the
next day. / read 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 it was, by request of Secretary
Fisher, returned to the interior de-
partment. and 1t was after this that
Miss Abbott says she saw the letter
with the postscript attached. Mr. Carr
saw no such postscript when he sent
the letter to me. | did not see It when
read It, No one saw it in the ex-
ccutive office but it remained to APP
pear as a postscript when Miss Abbott
no Iatt IN -,
files Of the interior department. All
others were denied the sight.
The person upon whose statement
the existence of what has been prop
erly characterized as an amazing post
script 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
r Bay matter-and this under the super
, vision of Mr.. Brown, then private sec
rotary to the secretary of the interior.
. After the examination, at which she
= alleges she received this postscript
Y from the hand OF Mr. Brown, she pre-
. pared an elaborate article on the sub
ject of this order and Controller Bay
e which she submitted to Mr.. Fisher, and
! which she discussed with Mr. Fisher
e at length, but never in the converse
K ton did she mention the existence OF
the postscript Mr.. Brown, who was
s with her at the time and showed hei
the files. testities that there was nc
such postscript in the papers, and that
he never handed her and she never
saw such a postscript there. Similar
evidence is given by Mr. Carr ant
other custodians Of the records in tn,
interior department.
stronger evidence of the falsity ant
maliciousy slanderous character of the
! alleged postscript could not be had Its
only significance is the light it throws
I | on the bitterness and venom OF some OF
those who take active part in every dis
D cussion OF Alaskan issues. The intensity
, OF their desire to besmirch all who in
: vest in that district, and all who are off
- cially connected with it's administration
I | operates upon the minds of weak or de-
PRAYED human Instruments and prompts
: the fabrication of such false testimony as
this postscript. dislike to dwell upor
, | this feature of the case. hut IL is so full
, OF lesson that ought to be taken to the
heart Of every patriotic citizen that | car
not pass It over in silence
w men made this order | was aware
that the condition Of public opinion IN re
ttience to investments in Alaska, fannct
by charges of fraud-some well founded
ana others of an hystercal and unjust o
raise character-Would lead to an attach
- upon II and to the questioning of my
HotlFcs In signing IT. | remarked this
"heh made the order. and | was MOI
mistaken But a public officer. when he
coAceiNes 1t his duty 10 take affirmative,
action IN the public interest. has no NOR,
~ ri%ht to allow fear Of unjust criticism
aid attack to hinder him from taking tina
- action than he would to allow persona
ana dishonest motives to affect him |
3 Is easy In cases like this to take tn,
course which timidity prompts. and to d,
nothing but such a course docs not inur,
to the public veal
IT INVESTMENT is NECESSARY.
:. i am in full sympathy with the con
" Germ of reasonable and patriotic mo,
that the valuable resources Of A1osk.
should not he turned over to be ex
= ploited Tor the proht of greedy, Alb
=, sorbinG, monopolistic corporations o
syndicates. Whatever the ottempt
70 which have been made. no one. as
20 matter of fact, has secured I'm AlasN.
any undue privilege or franchise no
40 completely under the control of con
gross, and in all the scandal witt
which the public has been rerala
very few specific instances of corrup
# or improper attempts to acquire vest