The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-11
ORIGINAL TRUST BUSTER
HENDERS0N'S CLAIM.
speaker Says lie is i'm ON Republic
can Game and Has No Time
for Trusts.

Washington, Feb. 1870 persistent
has been the gossip linking the name OF
Speaker Henderson. with the alleged
opposition of the Standard Oil Compa-
ny to the publicity feature of the De-
partment of Commerce bill, and to anti
trust legislation generally, that the
Speaker has felt impeTled to come out
in an interview in which he discusses
the matter.
The Post tomorrow will publish an
interview with Speaker Henderson with
respect to these reports that have been
current about the Capitol. connecting
the Speakers name with efforts to
thwart antitrust legislation, and with
having endeavored to have enacted "A
substitute for the Nelson publicity Sec
ton of the Department of Commerce
bill.
The reports also said MIR. Henderson
would become attorney for one of the
Standard Oil companies after March 4.
when he retires from Congress. The
Speaker emphatcally denied the re-
ports. He said: I'm the first place I
have never known any person, or ON
Cial, connected with the Standard Oil
Company in any way, nor do l know
any such official or person now" RIs-
ing from his desk the Speakers private
roon and walking over to one of the
window recesses, he added:
THE only relations l ever had with
any person identified with the Standard
oil Company was some years ago,
Then 1 wrote a letter to Mr.. Rookie
Teller / asked him to assist in some
project for upper Iowa University. my
Alma Mater. ] do not recall exactly
what II was, but think | asked him
to assist that institution in the pur-
chase of an organ. Afterward Sc
cured from Mr. Carnegie library for
the college. Mr. Rockefeller. however,
declined to assist In whatever under
taking / had mentioned to him in be-
half of the college.
I'm the second place" continued
Speaker Henderson, Il know nothing
whatever about any Standard Oil
amendment before the Conference Com
| mittee on the Department of Com
merce. The reports you mention are
entirely new to me. | have had nothing
to do with any such amendment"
And what about your alleged OPP
| position to antitrust legislation?' was
suggested.
There has been lot of lying about
that matter replied Speaker Hender-
son earnestly, who said he had seen
| the subject discussed in the newspa-
pers. 81 have all along been in ia
vor of antitrust legislation. got
| through the blouse a long time ago
the amendments to the Sherman law,
which have never been completed and
enacted into legislation.
Early this session / started out to
urge legislation against trusts. 1t was
at my suggestion, after conference
with Mr.. Jenkins. chairman of the Ju-
dietary Committee of the House, that
| a special subcommittee was appointed
IA subcommittee OF earnest, sincere,
and competent men-to frame an anti
trust bill. They entered upon their
| work, and from that day l was In fire.
| quent consultation with members of
| that subcommittee as to the progress
| they were making"
you are in accord with whatever
programme the administration wishes
as TO antitrust legislation"
why, / have been in consultation
often with the President on those
matters" concluded the Speaker land
ready to work in complete accord
with him"