Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-25
Mr.. Bryan Demands the Proof.


President Roosevelt, demanding that ne
produce proof that Gov. Charles N
Haskell of Oklahoma, treasurer OF the
Democratic national committee, ever
was connected with the Standard OIL
company
Copies of the telegram were given
out for publication just before Mr.
Bryan's departure for Ann Arbor, late
in the afternoon. The programme OF
the local committee included an oppor-
tunity to Mr.. Bryan to take a long
rest in the forenoon, but the statement
of President Roosevelt, published this
morning, in which the president en-
dorsed the charges made against Gov.
Haskell by William r. Hearst, that
Gov. Haskell had been connected with
the Standard Oil company and had at
tempted to bribe Attorney General
Frank Monnett of Ohio, was sufficient
to cause him to forego that much need
ed luxury and devote himself to the
subject of preparing a reply. He call
ed to his assistance John E. Lamb OF
Indiana, Edwin O. Wood, national COM
mitteeman from Michigan, and several
others Of the Democratic leaders, and
also held lengthy conferences over the
long distance telephone with New York
and Chicago. Altogether Mr. Bryan
consumed five hours in these consul
tations before concluding to address
N11 20 fhn
Up to a late hour tonight he had re-
ceived no reply from Mr.. Roosevelt
The Telegram.
The telegram is as follows:
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, President
of the United States.
Dear Sir: In a statement given out
by you yesterday and published in this
mornings papers you endorse charge
made against Gov. Haskell Of Oklaho-
ma to the effect that he was once in
the employ of the Standard Oil COM
pany and as such employe was con-
nected with an attempt to bribe or in
fiuence Attorney General Monnett of
Ohio to dismiss suits pending against
the Standard Oil company. In endors-
ing this charge you attack the Demo
cratic party and it's candidate, saying
that Gov. Haskell stands high in the
councils of Mr.. Bryan and is the treas
urer of his national campaign COM
mittee' and you add that the publi-
cation of this correspondence not mere
" justifies in striking fashion the ac-
ton Of the administration, but also
casts a curious sidelight on the at
tacks made upon the administration
both in the Denver convention, which
nominated Mr.. Bryan, and in the
course of Mr.. Bryan's campaign
Your charge is so serious that can
not allow it to go unnoticed. Gov.
Haskell has denied that he was ever
employed by the Standard Oil COM
pany in any capacity or was ever con-
nected in any way whatever with it
or with the transaction upon which
your charge is based.
Gov. Haskell demanded an investi-
CATION at the time the charge was first
made offering to appear and testify,
and he demands an investigation now.
l agree with you that if Gov. Haskell
is guilty as charged he is unfit to be
connected with the Democratic nation
al committee and I am sure you will
agree with me that if he is innocent he
deserves to be exonerated from so
damming an accusation. AS the selec-
ton Of Gov. Haskell as chairman of
committee on resolutions at Denver
and also as treasurer Of the Demo
cratic national committee had my ap-
proval and endorsement, l feel it my
duty to demand an immediate inVes-
tigation Of a charge against him en-
dorsed by the president Of the United
States. Your high position as well as
Your sense of justice, should prevent
your giving sanction and circulation
to such a charge without proof and
respectfully request therefore, that you
furnish any proof which you have In
YOUR possession. or if you have nc
proof. I request that you indicate q
method by which the truth may be as
certaned. Without consulting Mr.
Haskell. l will agree that he will ap-
pear for investigation before any tri-
bunal. public or private, which yor
may indicate. and I will futher agree
that his connection with the nationa
committee and this campaign shal
cease in the event that the decision
of such tribunal connects him in any
way with this charge, or in case you
after an investigation of the facts, say
that YOU believe him guilty of the
charges made.
"As the candidate of the Democratic
party l shall not permit any respon'
sible member of the Republican organ
ization to misrepresent' the acts Of the
Democratic party in the present cam
paign. | have assisted you to the eX'
tent of my ability in remedial meas
ures which l deemed for the public
good which you have undertaken;
have urged Democrats to support suci
measures and l have advocated more
radical measures against private mo-
nopoIies than either you or your part!
associates have been willing to under
take
The platform of the Democratic
party is clear and specific on this sub
iect. as on other subjects, while th'
platform of the Republican party il
uncertain and evasive.
THE Democratic candidate for vice
president. Mr.. Kern. joined With me il
requesting the Democratic nationa
committee to fix a maximum Of $4,000
for individual contributions and t.
publish before the election all contri
buttons above 500 and the committee