The Alaska daily empire., 1915-11-03
RICHARDSON REFJTES
 WlCNERSBAM CHARGE
loanL-nlal -lom - -

expectation from year to year. ot least for some ycafs past-that Con- gress would make provision for more ! general and progressive development of the road work and for transferring ! lts cost to somo other bin than tho one for support ol lhc army .he De. pertinent being ready io supervise che work ii so directed by Congress. but holding Che view lhut the cost or such work sbould not be charge against Che bn for the support of the army any more chan rivers and har- bora or other public work. These War Department estimates have re- ceived tho generous support of mem bers ol Congress almost without ex- ception save in the case of your Dele gate it would be interesting Co have Q statement from the Delegate as Go his activities for or against the en- actment of some provision for sener. al road work. SO necessary if the work is io have the continued aid Of the ! Federal government or whether he has ever recommended to the War Department in writing that the small estimate carried on the Army bin bo disapproved Also. he might be ask- ed in what way he is serving the in. terests or the people he pretends to represent by continued and wanton attack-of which this latest bit of ly- ing viciousness is a fair sample-up. on tho members of the Road Commis. sion and the work in their charge. The Commission is competent to di- rect the work placed in iis hands, and has 9 well trained and efficient or- ] ganization. mostly composed of mon of long experience with conditions in Alaska. but it will require vast labor and tune and Q suitable fund which may be depended upon from year Go year. to meet Che needs for good roads throughout the Territory have no apology to offer in this cone noclon. and none is needed; on the contrary without claiming Inlallibi- ity of Judgment in all eases. do not hesitate to challenge comparison oi Che Commissions work and the re suits obtained under the circumstanc- es. with that of any other agency public or private in this Territory or any other place whatsoever This work constitutes merely 9 part of the army pioneer work in Alaska all of which has been systematic and construc- tive in character. and free as is al- ways the case with such work under the War Department from so-called red tape. It has been accomplished in the face of great natural difficult ties. and is of vital importance to the Territory.
 This letter is not for the purpose of further replying Co the Delegates let- ter of Dec 2l. 1914. but to make clear certain conditions which have been wiIfmly misrepresented Reply of June 23rd covers the ground. and it may serve. also, by the way of rei- erence. as 8 sufficient reply Co any such senseless ebullitions of mendac ity as he may see nc 70 muui6e iN hereafter Nor do ] consider it nee essary to send copy of this to the Delegate as he has failed to honor me by an acknowledgement of re- ceipt of Che copy or my former let- Ger His natural procedure would be to again take dishonest advantage of some Committee hearing or "exten- sion" Of remarks and then seek the support Of a venal magazine with a undertaking staff or go whimperins as he has in the past. tc tho War Department for aid and comfort in an unprovoked assault upon the charac- ter of an officer Of that Department performing his duty under provision of iaw
 W. p. RICHARDSON.
 Colonel Of Infantry