The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-09-26

ment, whether made by him or any
body else. and there Is not a scrap
Of evidence that can be produced
supporting any such charge that cam
not be as fully and satisfactorily ex-
planned as has been explained the let
ter about the Jones bill and the pro-
posed purchase Of the Ohio State
Journal
This brings me to Mr.. Taft's letter
and what the president has said in
his comments on the same.
II the President In publishing It had
not withheld the name Of the man to
whom It was written. It might have
been easier for me to show that had
no responsibility for that mans action
in writing to him.
Has Not Sought Tafts.
The man himself would have refut-
ed the impression the President APP
parently seeks to create, that he wrote
either at my instance or In my inter-
est. I have not at anytime or in any
way, sought Mr. Taft's help for re-
election to the senate.
When Mr.. Taft's candidacy for the
presidency was flrst announced l was
surprised to learn from the newspa-
pers that the program OF those having
It In charge involved my elimination"
from public life.
An open declaration Of war. such
as the elimination" proposition in
volved, naturally brought controversy
and strife when there should have
been only peace. Finally Mr.. Cox an
nounced a harmony roposition-Taft
for president. Harris for governor and
me for senator. He did that on his
own motion; not only without any re-
quest from me, but contrary to my
desires. Nevertheless. l at once pub
Ideally announced that II that express
ed the wish OF the Republicans of
Ohio, no one would support Judge
Taft more cordially than | would.
Burton's Interview.
Thereupon Mr.. Burton gave out an
interview in which he stated that Mr..
Taft would not accept from the Re-
publicans OF Ohio an endorsement for
the presidency II coupled with an en-
dorsement OF me for the senatorship.
am repeating from memory, and do
not pretend to give his exact Ian
guage, but know I am accurately
stating the effect of 1t. This appeared
to be such a gross public insult and
go uncalled for that hostilities were
Immediately resumed.
They continued until Mr.. Taft was
nominated. Then 80 far as was con-
cerned, they stopped instantly and
supposed from the character OF Mr..
Taft's response to my note Of con-
graduation. that they had stopped on
his part; at least ! was so assured by
his friends and managers, and In that
connection ] was also assured that
Mr.. Burton had no authority to give
out his offensive interview. Much
more Of the same character might be
mentioned, but / have said enough to
show that Mr. Tafts letter performs
the very important office Of exonerat-
ing MIR. Burton from the charge of
having spoken without authority and
fixes responsibility for his offensive
utterances where 1t belongs.
Takes Up Taft.
Now asst the letter itself@ -
His letter shows that the grounds
of Mr.. Taft's opposition to me were
two fold: The rate bill and the
Brownsville matter
AS to the rate bill Mr.. Taft says
of me in his letter enumerating the
reasons why he could not accept an
endorsement of me for senator:
He has opposed the vital policies
and principles of the administration
and adds az another reason that ]
would not vote for the rate bill al
though requested to do 30 by the Ohio
legislature. Mr.. Taft knew had new
er opposed the policy Of supervising
and regulating interstate carriers and
interstate commerce. He knew that
my opposition to the rate bill was not
because was opposed to the general
policy Of regulation and supervision,
but only to some features Of the meth
DDS 1t was proposed by that measure
to employ.
Reason for His Objection.
For instance he knew that my OBJ
lection was confined to certain clauses