East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-09-28

Deen Drought against MIN until the
charges can be examined i'm some
court where partisanship does not
bias" William j. Bryan, democratic
candidate for president, on his way
from Madison to this city, Saturday
night, gave out for publication his re-
ply to President Roosevelts recent
letter In response to his telegram on
the subject. The letter follows:
Milwaukee Wis, Sept. 26, 1908.
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, President
of the United States, Washington,
ID. c.
Dear Sir While | have not yet re-
ceived your letter and shall not until
] reach home next week, | have read
a copy of 1t In the press and beg leave
to submit the following reply:
Mr.. Haskell having voluntarily re-
signed from the committee that he
might be more free to prosecute those
who have brought charges against
him, | need not discuss the question
of his guilt or innocence further than
to say that the public service which
he has rendered and the vote of conf
dence from the people OF his state
ought to protect him from condemna-
tlon until the charges can be eXamln-
ed in some court whore partisanship
does not bias and where campaign
eXigencies do not compel prejudgment.
j would not deem II necessary to adj
dress you further but for the fact that
you seize upon the charges and at
tempt to make political capital out
of them. You even charge that my
connection with Mr. Haskells selec-
tlon as a member of the resolutions
committee and as treasurer OF the
committee raises question as TO my
sincerity as an opponent of trusts and
monopolles. As an individual. and as
the candidate of my party. | resent
the charge and repel the insinuation.
l have been in public life for IS years
and have been sufficiently conspicu-
Gus to make my conduct a matter Of
public interest. | have passed through
two presidential campaigns in which
party feeling ran high and epithet was
exhausted. ] have no hesitation in
saying that you cannot find an act,
word or a thought Of mine to justify
your partisan charge.
Knew Haskell Only as Good Man.
/ have never been informed OF any
charge that had been made against
Mr. Haskell connecting him with the
Standard oil company or with any
other trust. / had known him as
leader in the constitution of Oklaho-
ma and had known him as one of the
men principally responsible for the
excellent constitution which has since
been adopted by majority of 10000
10000 Of which was furnished by re-
publicans. | had known his election
to the governorship Of that great
young state by majority Of some
10000; | had known that the consti-
tuition was adopted and that Governor
Haskell was elected in spite of the
efforts of your administration and in
spite OF the speeches made in Okla
homa by Mr.. Taft.
Why Didn't Taft Dcnouncc Him.
You say that It was matter of
common notoriety that Mr.. Haskell
was connected with the Standard Oil
company.
I have a right to assume that II
so serious an objection had existed
to Mr. Haskelrs election and had been
q matter of common notoriety IN Ohio
as YOU say. Judge Taft would have felt
1t his conscientious duty to warn the
people II oklahoma when he spoke
there. If he did not have the knowl
edge, why can It be assumed that |
had Il? And If he had It. how can
you excuse his failure to communicate
the information to the people of Okla
homa? II you feel it youh patriotic
duty to denounce Haskell when he is
only a member of the national organ
ization, how much wou'd Mr.. Taft
have felt 1t his patriotic duty to de-
nounce Mr.. Haskell when he was as
piring to be the chief executive of a
great state?
could have had no knowledge of
the suit to which you refer when he
was appointed chairman of the reso-
lLtions committee of the democratic
national convention because the suit
was begun while he was at Denver
and as matter of fact did not know
anything of the nature of the suit
until he was made treasurer of the
national committee and no fair-mind- !
ed person can decide upon the merits |
of your charge without an eXamina-
ton of the provisions of the enabling |
act passed by the republican congress, |
and the provisions Of the license OF |
franchises issued to the oil company |
by your administration.
Outlook Story Has No Weight.
| need hardly refer to the newly |
found evidence upon which you lay so
much stress. viz; the article in the
outlook of September 8. My atten-
ton was never called to that article
until 7 read the published copy of
your letter, and while | have grearI
respect for the outlook and | suppose
| have for the writer (although you
do not give his name) ! would hardly
feel justified in deciding as promptly
as you do, on an ex parte statement,
without investigation.
Says Criticisms Arc Unjust.
You present an Indictment against
our platform declaration on the trust
question, but you do not refer to all
of the planks and do not deal justly
with those to which you do refer Our
platform declares in favor of the Wig
orous enforcement of the criminal
law against guilty magnates and Of