The San Francisco call., 1908-09-30

entire sum the democratic party had In
its control.
The letter concludes with notice to
the president that an opportunity
would be afforded him ito misrepresent
the motives of those who give to our
suspicion you cam" The letter is as
follows:
TEXT OF BRYAN'S LETTER
ss Rock Island, H. Sept. 20, 1908
Hon, Theodore Roosevelt. President OF the United
States, Washington, d. c.
Dear Sir: brief reply to your last letter is all
thst is necessary to call your attention to your
attacking MIR. Foraker you inserted an attack
upon Governor Haskell and attempted 10 use the
c1s-ges against him TO connect the democratic
party and me as its candidate with the trusts.
asked you 10 name q tribunal before which the
charges could be investigated, or il You would
not do that offered to leave you to say whether.
IN your Judgment. the charges justified Mr.. Has
kell's withdrawal from the organization.
You did not deign 10 suggest a tribunal, hut
proceeded 10 pass judgment upon him. He i'm
medistely resigned his position that he might
be more free 10 prosecute those who brought ae-
cusations against him. Thus his connection with
the organization ended. :: r-a
| had no authority TO submit and did not sub
NIT 70 you the question of his guilt or innocence
for hnai decision. Even the president cannot
denF 70 the hGmblest citizen OF the land the right
70 protect his reputation and vindieate his name
In courts established for the purpose where wit
nesses can be examined and evidence submitted
according 10 the rules of law.
In my first letter to you resented the imputa-
ton that any charges made against Governor
Haskell could be Justly construed as connecting
the democratic party me- as Its candidate
with any trust or law defying corpora ton You
replied that the charges were a matter of general
notoriety and | asked you why Mr.. Taft did not
mention them when he made speeches against
Mr.. Haskell 10 Oklahoma.
NEW QUESTIONS RAISED
You ut once endeavored TO connect me with
new matters which arose after the Denver con
sentlon, and conscious that those charges were
lnsnfncient. you have since given wings TO ac-
cusatlons that no disinterested party would
make against another without investirs ton
l am willing all your charges against me shall
De submitted 10 the voters OF the country and
with your charges 1 submit my denial of any
knowledge that could in the Femotest way CON
meet me with any trust. monopoly or law defy
ing corporation My record is sufficient answer
TO your insinuation.
I have lived in vain if your accuse tions lose
me single friend. ! challenged you to name a
trust ofncial who is supporting me- and after
searching the country. you produce the name OF
Que man: not trust official. but the local at
toroey OF trust. Without inQuiring whether he
votes Tor me because Of his connection with a
trust or in spite Of it. because OF his fear of
BUSINESS psa aoEersity under Mr. Taft you accept
MS statement that he will vote for me as conclu-
sive proof that am IN league with the trusts
although you admit trust officials are supporting
the republican ticket.
TWO STANDARDS sUGGESTED
lou oa compliment re when you measure me by
sociates, for you insist that Sir. Rockefeilers :
contribution to Governor Hughes campaign fund
was no reflection upon him. and / take il for
granted that you do not criticise Jndae rafts ios
fecommenda ton of Standard oil attorney fo Tho
have At 10 oencn men place where the Judge might
trust Tor which he had been attorney
q, WINE the trust attorney TO whom you refer
Is mol an ofncial OF any trust / will warn him
and through him his clients. that IL / am
eiectea VIII not only vigorously enforce against
an ohenders the law which we hope to have
enacted In compliance with the democratic plat-
iorn. but that Will also vigorously enforce ex-
isg issung laws against any and all who violate
them; and that ] viii enforce them not spasnod-
icaily and intermttently but persistcnfIy and
consistently they viii not be suspended even
Tor the protection Of cabinet officers
You say. The attitude of many men OF largo
financial interests warrants Won In 40. nressina
m me oelief that those trust nagnntes whose fear
OF being prosecuted under the law by Mr. Taft
Is greater than their fear OF general business adj
yersity under me will support me rather than
statement in such way as TO claim the supnort
Of all the trust magnates aud yet put 1t on the
patriotic reasons rather than for the nron,otin, M
Of a selfish interest That Is ingenious. but If Is
not sound; The trust magnates are supporting
planation ~The OF knoweth his owner and the
ass his masters crib
PEOPLES JUDGMENT ASKED
You admit that you gave permission to the
steel trust to absorb rival and thus increase
products. ! Will leave the American people Ia
pass Judgment upon that act and compare your
position on the trust question with mine
lou refer to our campaign fund in 1896 and
accuse US Of allowing two to contribute
largely TO the small fund with which the com.
mittee conducted the campaigns. / am not sure
about the figures you use, because | have not
seen an authentic statement of the contributions
but was informed that the largest of the two
sums which you mention was not all contributed
by the man 10 whom II was credited but in
cluded contributions from others as well as that
But If you want to be fair why do Won NOT
give the amount OF the republican campal gn
fund Of that year and the sources of it? / am,
willing TO have both funds published. are you
" some OF those who contributed TO our fund
of less hAh $500. 600 had pecuniary interest In
the result OF the election. how will you explain
the enormous contributions made to the republi-
fund:
IL you Will remember, the democratic platform
candidly declared the party's purpose. II the
carrying out of that policy would have been OF
advantage TO any one the whole public knowl-
edge and the publication OF the contributions
would not have affected the result
Publicity as to campaign funds is not needed
to make known that which is disclosed by tile
platform, but 10 direct attention TO secret agree
ments. expressed or implied. which would other
wise be concealed from the public.
You certainly pay more attention TO the mote
than to the beam when you find fault with our
national campaign fund in 1896 and ignore the
Significance of fund almost as large which al
your request was collected from few persons In
small item In the fund collected that year
CAMPAIGN FUND QUESTION
But your letter presents n defense Of your
party's position and an accusation against the
voters which emphasize an issue already promi-
nent. You are the arst Conspicuous member ii
your party to attempt an explanation of the
partys opposition to publicity before the election
ana me admission which you make Will embar
raE your party associates
Your position IS that the publication before
election OF the contributions made to -FOUR cam
,palsn 1uno would furnish your political Opponents
opportunity to give false impression as TO the
fitness OF the candidate. You eite as flustra
tions the contributions made TO Governor Hughes
campaign fund. the contribution collected bv Mr
Hartman and the contributions which are now
being collected for Mr. Taft's campaign fund
You charge. In effect. thar the people are a.
lacking In intelligence that they might condemn
as improper contributions which Won declare II nc
proper Il the voters difer from you on this