New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-04
Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury Leaves Office Bitterly De-
nounCine Chiefs Methods
in Letter to Taft.
CONGRESS INQUIRY ASKED
Requested by President to Step
Out, Subordinate Intimates
That the Department Is De-
moralized by Hamper
ing of Officials.
from TIE Tribune Bureau

c,es were profoundly stirred to-day oS
the resignation. at the request of Presi-
dent Taft, Of A. Piatt Andrew, Assist
ant Secretary Of the Treasury. Mr.. An
sreu in his letter Of resignation ad
6ressed TO the President, declared tha'
energetic young men in the Treasury
had been "hampered and discouraged a.
every turn by Secretary MacNeagh's idio'
svncrasies. his astounding capacity TO-
n-ocrastination, his incapacity for de
c,sion and the peculiar moods OF sus'
picion and aversion to which he is con-
stantly subject
Asa result of the statements made bN
Mr.. Andrew. Representative James v
Cox. of Ohio, introduced in the House
to-day resolution calling for a thor
cugh investigation of Secretary Mac
yeagh's administration Of the Treasury
Department
Following the announcement Of Mr.
Andrews resignation Il statement came
from the White House saying;
"Mr. Andrews resignation as Assist
ant Secretary of the Treasury was re-
ouested. submitted and accepted. in vie"
of his failure to obey orders given him
by the Secretary."
For further evidence of the peculiar
difficulties which surround the handling
Of business in the Treasury, Andre"
suggests that President Taft consult
Lawrence o. Murray, Controller Of thf
Currency; Lee McClung Treasurer OF IN,
United States; Joseph +. Ralph, Dlrec-
tor of the Bureau of Engraving ano
Printing: Charles a. Kram, Auditor foi
the Postofice: Royal F.. Cabell, Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue. and James
Knox Taylor former supervising archl-
tect.
Andrew informed President Taft that
these officials were practically unable tc
transact the business of their Offices be
cause Of Secretary MacVeagh's moods
which, Andrew says, would seem mex.
plcable in man of normal mind.
MacVeaqh Leaves Washington.
The Secretary Of the Treasury IA:
gone TO his summer home at Dublin
\. H: the President left Washington
this evening for his summer home a
Beverly. where he will remain unit
Sunday. and Mr.. Andrew left here TO
night for Gloucester, Mass, where ~
will spend the summer.
Some of the Treasury officials named
in the charges Of Mr.. Andrew denied to
night the alleged friction between then
and Mr.. MacVeagh, while others wer
silent. Director Ralph of the Bureau >
Engraving and Printing simply said Ii,
relations with Mr.. MacVeagh were al
right" Treasu McClung did. not wan
TO discuss it, but it was reported tina
Royal r. Cabell, of the Internal Revenu
Bureau, dissented vigorously from An
drew's statement, and declared his rela
tions with Mr.. MacVeagh were all h
could wish.
In his long letter to the President An
dlev stated that his predecessors
Charles d. Norton, later secretary I
President Taft, and Charles ID. Hilles
who also left the Treasury TO go to tn
White House, were compelled TO submit
TO the same conditions under Secretar
MacVeagh as were imposed upon him
and says Mr.. MacVeagh for weeks at
time would have no relations whateve
with his assistants, while government
business was delayed. Andrew wrot
the President that conduct Of the publ
business under such conditions was iuI
possible and the Treasury's business wa
practically at standstill.
While relations between Andrew an,
his chief have been strained more thar
year, 1t is said they reached the break
ing point two weeks ago, when Andrew
went TO the Chicago convention. Whel
he returned il became known that cithe
Mr.. MacVeagh would leave the Cabne
or Andrew would leave the Treasury
Senators Crane. Lodge and SmoJ
talked with the President about the sit
uation and IN effort was made to hav
Andrew retained. His resignation wa
asked for, however, and he left the cit,
few hours after rendering ii.
Went t. Chicago Anyway.
When Andrew advised the Secretar.
In writing that he intended going to tn
Republica- convention TO assist in fran
ing the financial plank Of the platform
Mr. MacVeagh IT is said. replied tina
ne desired his assistant 10 remain at hi
desk In Washington. Andrew, his frienl
declare, unsuccessfully sought persona
interview with his chief TO straighte
out the matter. He went 10 Chicago
According 70 officials. IT was this Incl
dent which constituted his failure Z
OBEY orders given him by the secretary.
referred % in the White House state
ment.
Mr.. Andrews letter TO Secretary Mac
sesgh advicing him Of the resignation
oiscloses the hitherto unpublished fac
that Mr.. MacVeagh was on the verge o
leaVlng the Cabinet in December. 1910
an one part the letter says:
You cannot forget how / stood by 20
,hsn you were on the point OF haYin
..Ishen from your hands what was probab
az az most important undertaking OF you
falr.iniInlsstration, When the White House J
,sTemDeF, 1910. without consulting wit
ap. 49, ana entirely without your knowledge
p.sItd into negotiations for an Issue .
sGndmS bonds, the embarrassment OF In
n,.stlon Threatened 10 force your resig
auol You VIII remember that J di
sm.rything in my power 10 avert you
iaton anc that 1 loyally agreed I