The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-11
4 LOT OF LYING
 SAYS HENDERSON
Speaker of House Discusses
 Reports About Rockefeller.
DOES NOT EVEN KNOW HIM
Insists That He Has Always Urged Legislation Against the Trusts and Came to Washington
 With That In View.

Washington. February 1o-rhe Post to- morrow will print an interview with Speaker D. B. Henderson. of the house of representatives, with respect to re- ports about the capitol connecting the speaker with efforts to thwart antitrust legislation and with having endeavored to have enacted a sub for the Nelson publicity section of the department of commerce bill The report also said MT. Henderson will become attorney for one of the Standard oil companys after March, when he retires from congress The speaker emphatically denied the re- ports He said:
 "In the first place I have never known any person or official connected with nor do I know of such official or person now"
 Rising from his desk in the speaker s private room, and walking over to one of the window recesses he added;
 Asked Help to Buy an Organ.
 "The only relations have had with any person identified with the Standard Oil company, was some years ago. Then I wrote letter to MT. Rockefeller. 1 asked him to assist In some project for upper Iowa university, my alma mater. do not recall exactly what 1t was, but I think I asked him to assist that institu- tion in the purchase of an organ. After ward I secured from MT. Carnegie a library for the college. MT. Rockefeller, however declined to assist in whatever undertaking I had mentioned to him in behalf of the college
 Tn the second place." continued Speak CT Henderson, "I know nothing whatever about any Standard Oil amendment be- fore the conference committee on the de- partment of commerce. The reports you mention are entirely new to me. I have had nothing to do with any such amend ment'
 And what about your alleged opposi- ton to antitrust legislation?' was sug- gested.
 There has been a lot of lying about the matter" he said. ''I have all along been In favor of antitrust legislation. got through the house a long time ago, the amendments of the Sherman law which have never been completed and enacted into legislation.
 Has Urged Legislation.
 Early this season I started out to urge legislation against trusts. It was at my suggestion, after a conference with MT. Jenkins, chairman of the judiciary com- mittee of the house, that a special sub committee was appointed-a committee of earnest, sincere and competent men-to frame an antitrust bill. They entered upon their work and from that day I was In frequent consultation with members of that subcommittee as to the progress they were making.
 T had frequent talks with MT Over street, MT. Jenkins, MT. Littlefeld and others of the judiciary committee as to what was being done.
 "You are In accord with whatever pro- gramme the administration wishes as to antitrust legislation?'
 Why, I have been in consultation often with the President on these matters ,'' concluded the speaker, 'and ready to work in complete accord with him as [ have been in other matters of legislation before congress. I was at the White House yesterday shortly after 1 o'clock when they discussed the programme as to the conference on the department of commerce bill, which has just been ac cepted by the house.