The San Francisco call., 1908-09-24
President Writes Letter to Ne
braskan Showing Governor
HaskeII's Affiliations
Oklahoma Executive Declared
Unfit for Any Public Posi-
ton of Trust
Democratic Treasurer's COnnec-
ton With Creek Indian Land
i. Frauds Is Exposed
Law Defying Corporations Said
to Have Nothing to Fear
From C0mm0ner

WASHINGTON, Sept. %.
President Roosevelt tonight,
following upon a prolonged
conference with members of
the cabinet at the White
House, prepared and gave
out his reply to William ].
Bryan, the democratic candi-
date, relative to w. r.
Hearst's charges that Gov
ernor Haskell, treasurer OF the
democratic campaign committee.
had represented Standard oil in
terests, both in Ohio and Okla
houa. Bryan had demanded
proof of the charges, promising
that in the event of their sub
sanitation Governor Haskell
would be eliminated from the
campaign.
Dismissing the Ohio case,
which involved an allegation OF
attempted bribery, with the ex-
PLANTATION that he had made no
direct charge against Governor
Haskell as to that particular instance.
President Roosevelt took up the matter
OF the Prairie oil and gas company and
argued that Governor HaskelPs action
in stopping legal proceedings begun
by the attorney general Of Oklahoma
demonstrated conclusively that he was
controlled by the great corporation to
which the Oklahoma company was sub.
sidiary.
HASKELL DECLARED UNFIT
After contrasting Bryan's defense OF
Governor Haskell as against Judge
Taft's repudiation OF Senator Foraker,
in connection with the Hearst charges
against the Ohio senator. the president
proceeds to declare that Governor Has
kells utter unfitness for association
with any men anxious to appeal to the
American people on moral issue has
been abundantly shown by other acts
of his as governor OF Oklahoma"
The president condemned Governor
Haskell's conduct in connection with
/ the various matters as disgraceful and
scandalous.
The latter portion OF Roosevelt's de-
liverance was devoted to criticism Of
Bryan's plan for regulating the trusts.
which he characterized as a measure
that sounded more radical than any
advocated by the republicans. but
Concluding. Roosevelt declared that no
law defying corporation had anything
| TO fear from Bryan save what 1t would
suffer from the general paraly sis OF
business which would follow demo-
cratic success
CONFERENCE WITH CABINET
The president spent almost the en-
tire day in getting the letter in shape.
An hour was given this morning to
making rough draft OF IT,. which was
submitted to Secretary GARFIELD and
Postmaster General Meyer. both Of
whom made suggestions as to- portions
of the communication. About this
afternoon all the members OF the cabf-
net now In the city, Secretaries Wilson,
Straus, Wright. Mstcalf and Garfield
and Postmaster General Meyer. met
with the president In the cabinet room
/ at the executive office for confer
til after o'clock. Two>hours more
were required to make certain changes
before Secretary Loeb gave 1T to the
press
/ Deeming the reply too long to be sent
] by wire, the method OF communication
Bryan had employed in his chalIengs
to the president. 1t was forwarded by
mail to the democratic candidats at
Lincoln. Neb.
REPLY SENT TO BRYAN
President Roosevelts reply to Bryan
/ follows:
The White House. Washington. septsm-
| ber %, 1903
/ Dear Sir: In your telegram you
| speak so much OF the charges
/ against Governor Haskell as dealt with
| his relations. while in Ohio. with the
Standard oil company You omit the
/ Standard oil company interests. as
! shown by his action while governor
/ OF Oklahoma. this very summer. this
action being In part taken while he was
I at Denver, where, as you state, he was
/ by your wish made chairman OF the
| committee which drafted the platform
upon which you are standing
! In my statement / purposely made
| no specific allusion TO the Ohio mat
/ in spite of it's significance and in spite
OF the further fact that Governor Has
kelfs close relations with the Standard
oil interests while he was in Ohio was
/ a matter or common notoriety. In Okla
homa Ii Is matter OF court record.
/ BY this court record 1t appears that