The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-22
ROOSEVELT MAKES
PUBLIC A LETTER
Continued from First Page.)

ure about Senator Foraker, / make
public the following letter written by
Mr.. Taft on July 20, 1907, to a friend
in Ohio prominent in Ohio politics.
who wrote him before the meeting OF
the state central committee, asking
whether he would object to the com
mittee passing a resolution endorsing
Mr.. Taft for president and Mr.. Foraker
for senator in the interest Of harmony.
"A copy Of this letter was submitted to
me at the time, but after the original
had been sent. It was not intended
for publication, but It was understood
that II necessary it would be pub
lished.
81 personally know that the strong
est pressure by various leaders was
brought on Mr.. Taft at that time to
consent to this arrangement, all OPP
position on the part Of Mr.. Foraker
and on the part OF some OF Mr.. For
aker's influential friends in the SEN
ate and elsewhere would cease, and
that Mr.. Taft's nomination for the
presidency would be assured. But Mr..
Taft declined for one moment to con-
slider any possible advantage to him
self where, what he regarded as a
great principle, was at stake. His at.
titude on this question, as well as on
countless questions, convinced me that
of all the men in this Union, he was
the man prominently At in point Of
uprightness and character for fearless
and aggressive honesty, and Of fitness
for championing the rights of the PEG.
pie as a whole, to be president.
Haskell and Foraker Fought Taft.
Senator Foraker had been a leader
among those members Of congress OF
both parties who have %resolutely op'
posed the great policies of interna'
tional reform for which the American
has made itself responsible. His at
titude has been that Of certain other
public men, notably las shown in this
same correspondence Governor Has
kell, Of Oklahoma. There is a strik
ing difference in oneTrespect, however
lin the present positions OF Governor
Haskell and Senator Foraker. Govern
or Haskell stands high In the councils
of Mr.. Bryan and is the treasurer o.
his. national campaign committee. Sen
ator Foraker represents ony the forces
which in imbittered fashion fought thu
nomination of Mr.. Taft and which
we're definitely deprived Of power with
in the Republican party when Mr.
Taft was nominated. The publication
OF this correspondence not merely jus
titles in striking fashion the action o
the administration, but also casts I
serious sidelight on the attacks mad
upon the administration, both in tn
Denver convention which nominate'
Bryan and In the cours OF Mr.. Bry
ans campaign. There Is only on
way to preserve and perpetuate tn
great reforms; the great advances II
righteousness and upright and TAI
dealing, which have marked the mar
agement Of the affairs Of the nationa
government during the last seve1
years and that is by electing MI
Taft. To defeat him will bring last
ing satisfaction to but one set Of men
namely, to those men. who, as show
in the correspondence published b,
Hearst, were behind Mr.. Foraker, tn
opponent Of MI. Taft within his owl
party, and who are now behind Gov
ernor Haskell and his associates, tn
opponents Of Mr.. Taft in the Republl
can party.
1.-THE great and sinister moneyed In
terests which have shown such hostil
|ity to the administration and now t
Mr.. Taft, have grown to oppose tn
administration on various matters no
connected with those which mark tn,
real point Of difference. For instance
the entire agitation owe the Browns
vile matter was in large part not
genuine agitation on behalf Of colore
men at all. but merely n phase Q
OF the effort by the representatives Q
certain law defying corporations t
bring discredit upon the administrs
tion, because 1t was seeking to cut on
the evils connected, not only wit