Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-28
Milwaukee, Sept. &c. 1903.

Milwaukee, Sept. &c. 1908.
Hoa. Theodore Roosevelt. Presi-
dent of the United States, Wash
ington, d. c.:
Dear Sir:-While | have MOI re-
ceiVed your letter and shall not
until reach home next week. have
read copy OF it in the press. and
beg leave to submit the following
reply:
Mr. Haskess having, voluntarily
resigned from the committee tina.
he might be more free to prosecute
thos9 Who have brought charges
against him, i need not discuss the
question of his guilt or innocence
further than to say that public SER
vice which he has rendered and tho
vote OF confidence which he has re-
ceived from the people Of his state.
ought to protect him from condem-
nation until the charges can be ex-
amined in some court where parti-
sanShip does not bias, and where
campaign exigencies do not contpel
preJudgment. / would noh deem II
necessary to address you further.
but for the fact that you seize up-
on the charges and attempt to make
political capital out of them. You
even charge that my connection
with Mr.. Haskell's selection as
member OF the resolutions commit
Zee and as treasurer OF the commit
tee raises a question as to my sin
cerlty as an opponent OF trusts and
monopolies. AS an individual and
as the candidate of my party, / 7c-
sent the charge and repel the in
sinuatlon. l have been in public
life for eighteen years, and I have
been sufficiently conspicuous To
make my conduct a matter of pub
lie interest. l have passed through
two presidential campaigns in which
party feeling ran high and epitnet
was exhausted. 1 have no hesi-a-
ton in saying you cannot flnd an
act, word, or a thought of mine
TO justify partisan charge.
| had never been Informed Jf anv
charge that had been made against
Mr.. Haskell connecting him with
the Standard Oil Company or any
other trust. ! had known him AS
the leader in the constitutional con-
vention of Oklahoma, and had
known him as one of the men prin-
cipally responsible for the exccllen-
constitution which has since been
adopted, and adopted by a majority
of over 100000, seventy thousand
or which was furnished by Repubn-
cans. l had known of his election
TO the governorship OF that great
young state by majority OF some
10000 had known that the con-
st.tution as adopted and that Gov
ernor Haskell was elected in spite
OF the effort OF your administration
and in spite OF the speeches made
in Oklahoma by Mr.. Taft
Mr. TAFT DERELICT IN DUTY
You say that It was a matter of
common notoriety that Mr.. Haskell
was connected with the Standard
Oh Company / have right 10
assume that n so serious an OBJ
lection had existed to Mr.. Haskell's
election and had been a matter OF
common notoriety fin Ohio as you
say Judge Taft would have felt r.
his conscientious duty TO warn the
people when be spoke in Oklahoma.
II he did not have the knowledge
why can 10 be assumed that 7 had
it? And II he had H. how can YOU
excuse his failure TO communicate
he Information TO the people or
Oklahoma? n you feel IL your ia
triotic duty 20 denounce Mr.. Has
kell when he IS only a member Of
the national organization, how
much would Mr. Taft nave felt &c his
patriotic duty 20 denOunce Mr. Has
KEEL when he was aspiring 20 be-
the cnief executive OF a great state?
could not have had knowledge
OF The suit 20 which you refer when
he was appointed chairman Of the
resolutions committee or the Dem.
ocratic national convent because
The ut was begun while he vas all
Denver and az o matter OF fact.
did not know anything Of the MAJ
iurn " the suit until after he wa
made treasurer Of .he national COM
m.t'ee and NO fai- minded person