Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-27
NOT NCONTROVERSY
Chairman Johnson and the
Secretary of the Treasury.
EXPLAINS TO THE HOUSE
Reads Letter From Mr.. MacVeagh
Apologizing for Apparent But
Unintentional Discourtesy.

representative johnson of Kentucky.
chairman OF the House District commit
tee, made the following personal state
ment on the floor of the House yesterday
AFTERNOON with reference to the publica-
ton IN The Star Thursday OF an al
legged controversy between him and the
Secretary of the Treasury:
Mr.. Speaker under ordinary circum-
stances would pay no sort OF attention to
the matter to which l shall now allude: but,
inasmuch as there is an attempt on the
outside of the House to create a false
impression as to the relations existing
between the Secretary of the Treasury.
and me, / will read from The Evening
Star. Washington paper published yes
terday, wherein this language is used:
" Secretary MacVeagh has written a
letter declaring that there is no truth
In the statement made on the floor of
the House by Representative Johnson,
chairman of the House District COM
mfttee. that the latter had been refused
permission from the Treasury for the
expert accountant of the House to go
over the Treasury Department records
What johnson Said.
I'm the first place. Mr.. Speaker. 1 wish
| to say that my remarks i'm the Record
Will show that l never said any such
thing. If l had said SO it would have
been untrue, because neither the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, the treasurer OF
the United States. nor anybody else. SO
far as / know. has thrown or attempted
to throw obstacles in the way of the
investigation which is being made.
| addressed letter to the secretary OF
the Treasury as the head of the
financial department of the government,
asking for the use of one of the auditors
of the accounts between the United
States and the District of Columbia, so
| that 1 might have the services of
| that man longer and oftener by the per-
mission Of the Secretary Of the Treas
! ury.
I'm my speech made here several day,
| ago 1 said that had addressed a letter tt
the Secretary of the Treasury asking FOL
| the services of this man, and that the
Secretary of the Treasury has not deigned
| to answer my letter. Now. that Is the
| only reference of criticism which l mad,
to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Letter From Mr.. MacVeagh.
LAS to whether what 1 said upon the
| floor is the truth or not 1 wish to rea6
| SO much of a letter from the Secretary
of the Treasury addressed to me upon tina
| subject. January %, 1912, the Secretary
OF the treasury duUTeSSeu tfflS COIllIiuHl
cation to me:
Dear Mr. Johnson:
~ noticed this morning a report oil
| your statement in the House yesterday
commenting upon lack of courtesy or
my part with respect to a letter of yours
! and l at once took the matter up in tx
| department. j think YOU are fully JUST
fled in feeling your letter had been neg
| lected; for apparently--only apparently
that is true. On the other hand. mos
of the delay in writing you is due to the
| consideration which has been given Il
your suggestion and to some communica
| ton with the officials of the District Of
| Columbia. But after all Is said and dole
| in the way of mitigation, there remains
| the necessity for my personal apology I,
| you; which / now beg to express
| Now, Mr.. Speaker. wish to say tina
| as between the Secretary of the Treasur.
| and me. or as between the treasurer an,
me, there is no sort of controversy that
| am advised of, and / have made thi
| statement for no other purpose than tina
the members Of this House may net b.
| led into false impression as to the rela
tions between the Secretary Of the Treas
ury and me-