The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-04
BY Associated Press.

Washington. July 3.-An enbrogIio
in the United States treasury OF more
than a years standing between secre-
tary MacV Veaga, and assistant secre-
tary A. Piatt Andrews was officially re-
vealed today by Andrewss resignation
and the proposal for a congressional
investigation of MacVeagh's admins
tration. Representative Cox Of Ohio,
presented the resolution for such an
investigation to the house, after read
ing Andrews's letter OF resignation to
Taft. The letter created a profound
sensation.
Andrews declared that energetic
young men of the treasury had been
"hampered and discouraged at every
turn by Secretary MacVeagh's idiosyn-
cracies, his astounding capacity for
procrastination his incapacity for de-
cision and peculiar moods of suspicious
aversion, to which he was constantly
subject"
Andrews informed Taft that Law
renee o. Murray, comptroller of the
currency, Lee McClung, treasurer Of
the United States and other high
treasury officials are practically unable
to transact the business of their offices
because of MacVeagh's moods, which
Andrews says would seem inexpli-
cable in a man of normal mind" He
said that MacVeagh for weeks at a
time has no relation with his as
sistants while government business
was delayed
The Cox resolution was referred to
the committee on rules.
LETTER or RESIGNATION.
Or. Andrews's letter to the president
sayasin part:
In presenting my resignation OF the
office with which you have favored me,
deem 1t proper to acquaint you with
conditions which have existed in the
treasury for the last two years at least
and which are of grave concern not
only to every official of the treasury,
but also to the many thousands
throughout the country who have bus
mess to conduct with this department.
For a long time the transaction Of
much Of the treasury's business has
been at a standstill and an outbreak of
some sort has been imminent. Many
able and energetic treasury officials
have had to bear the brunt Of harsh
criticism from people outside who have
suffered interminable delays in their
business with the treasury, for which
the secretary alone was responsible,
and at the same time they have had
to submit to criticism even more harsh
ard more undeserYed from Mr.. Mac
Veagh himself, whenever he discovered
that they had ventured to act upon
some matter OF minor Importance
without awaiting his decision. Time
and again heads OF the divisions of
the treasury have found themselves
unable to carry on the business en-
trusted to them, and nave been dis
couraged to the verge of resigning
their positions, because they were un-
able to obtain any opinion or decision
from Mr. MacVeagh upon urgent ques-
tions which had been before him for
many months. At the same time they
have invariably beer reproaChed BY
him for such limited action as they
may have been compelled TO take on
their own responsibility.
mfr. MacVeagh's mental attitude is
difficult to realize by those who have
not had intimate everyday experience
with it. Toward many Of the higher
| treasury officials he has from time tc
time displayed an aversion, suspicion
| and dfstrust, which in view Of the fact
| that these officials were men Of his
own choice, would seem inexplicable In
| a man of normal mind. For many
| ,~--&tr,.ad m psna ThpaAN