The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-11

TIM RIcHM0ED !
de6nitsiy ana Enthusiastically thereon. {
refer, OF course ID. the Philippine
qusssacn and the matter Of nationAi
You KNOW nv csnvictions with re-
spect 70 each ck them.
r.. sss sses ns Ssnsps I. s eSenSo
ment Or the duty 81 this nation ana =
breach OF trust toward the Filipnoss
so believing. I cannot accept II or ac-
quiesce In its acceptance.
consider the reliance upon tho
militia for national defense an unjus-
Unable. Importing Of the nations
safety. II would not only be q sham
would prevent, Il not destroy, the OPP
portunity to procure measures Of real.
genuine national defense. i could mot
accept 1t or acquiescs in Its accept
ance
am obliged to make my position
known Immediately upon each Of
these questions, In speech on
Thursday afternoon upon the national
defense question, and In y communi-
cation 10 the House committee having
charge OF the Philippine question.
II. with respect to either matter,
we are not In agreement, upon these
fundamental principles. then I could
not, with proprfety. remain your
seeming representative in respect
thereto. Our convictions would be
manifestiy not only divergent, but ut
, terly irreconciliabie.
You will appreciate the necessity OF
timely knowledge upon my part of the
determination reached by you with re-
spect to each OF these matters, 80 that
/ may act advisedly in the premises.
Sincerely yours.
LINDLEY M. GARRISON.
The President
Presidents FYruaI Reply.
The Presidents reply, which result
ed in Secretary Garrison's resignation,
was written today:
! tLetter So
The White House.
Washington, February 10, 1916.
My Dear Mr.. Secretary:
In reply TO your letter Of today let
! me say:
First. That 1t is my own judg-
ment that the action embodied In the
Clarke amendment to the bill extend
Ing further self-government to the
1 Philippines 10 unwise at this time, but
Il would clearly be most inadvisabie
for me to take the position that must
houses concur In q bin embodyin4
that amendment. That IL a matter
upon which ] must, Of course. with
hold Judgment until the Joint action
OF the two houses reaches me In
definite form. What the fina1 action
of the houses will be no one can at
lthis time certainly forecast. am
lnow, OF course. engaged in conferences
with Mr.. Jones and others with regard
to the probable action OF the House
lot Representatives In this matter and
lido not yet know what 1t 10 likely to
be. The one obvious thing. It seems
Ito me. IL the necessity for calm and
deliberate action on our part at this
time when matters Of such gravity are
to be determined. and not only calm,
land deliberate action. but action
which takes into very serious con-
federation views differing from our
lown.
Second. Az have had occasion to
isay to you, am not yet convinced
THAT the measure OF preparation for
national defense which we deem neces-
Isary can be obtained through the In
lstrumentaiity of the national guard
under Federal control and training,
hut feel In duty bound to keep my
mind open to conviction on that side
and think that II would be most ur-
wise and most unfair to the commit
tee Of the House, which has such q
plan In mind. to say that 1t can mol
be done. The bill in which It VIII
be embodied has not yet been drawn,
as learned today from Mr. Hay.
should deem II a. very serious mistake
Ito shut the door against this attemp,
on the part of the committee in per-
feet good faith to meet the essentials
of the program set forth In my mes
sage. but In way of their own
choosing.
AS you know, I do not at all agree
with you In favoring compulsory en-
listment for training. and fear the
advocacy of compulsion before the
icommittee of the House on the part
off the representatives or the Depart.
lmeat of War has greatly prejudiced
the House against the proposal for .
continental army, little necessary con-
Injection as there Is between the plan
land the opinion of the chief OF stan
lin favor of compulsory enlistment.
owe you this frank repetition o.
my views and policy In this matter
which we have discussed on previous
occasions, In the letters which VIC
have exchanged and In conversation
am very much obliged to you FOL
your own frank avowal OF your con-
|
no hesitation aobut expressing your
personal views on both these sub.
i jects on the two occasions to which
you refer. but hope that you vii
be kind enough to draw very carefully
the distinction betweeen your own In.
dividual views and the views OF the
administration.
You will, OF course, understand that
am devoting my energy and atten.
ton unsparingly in conferences with
members OF the various committees
OF Congress to an effort to procure
| an agreement upon q workable and
practicable program. This Ii = time
when II seems to me patience on the
l part OF all of us Is OF the essence In
bringing about a contamination OF
| the purpose we all have in mind.
Very sincerely yours.
/ WOODROW WILSON.
| Hon. Lindley M. Garrison,
! Secretary of War.
And Mr.. Brec1kenrtA9e Tso.