The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-28

radius and the damage caused as
slight as possible.
you would better understand the
principle on which l acted II you
would rid yourself of the idea that
am trying to discriminate for or
against any man Or corporation be-
cause he or it is either wealthy or
not wealthy. / regard such discrim-
nation IN either direction as utterly
incompatible with spirit of honesty
and fair dealing.
II base my distinction on conduct,
not on relative wealth. When the
same men who were leaders in the
steel corporation acted in connection
with the Northern securities suit In
manner which l regarded as contrary
to the law, by my direction succe SIS
full suit was Immediately undertaken
against them. If they violate the law
in connection with any act of the steel
corporation l will Immediately pro-
coed against them. Until they do
violate the law they will be treated
precisely as any other corporation,
great or small, which obeys the law,
Is treated.
Does Justice to Hartman.
81 treat each man and each corpor-
alton with view solely to whether
he or it is acting rightly on given
occasion. Let me give you an exam
Pile. have proceeded against the cor
porations of which Mr.. E. H. Harri-
man is the head on certain points
where believe they have violated the
law. But when in connection with
the breaking of the Salton Sea dam,
one of the Hartman corporations re-
paired the dam, / last winter did ev-
erything could to have congress re-
imburse Mr.. Hartman for so much
of the obligation as / felt ought to
come upon the United States. I would
hold myself unfit to be president if,
because I prose cuted Mr.. Hartman
where I thought he had broken the
law l yet hesitated to do him JUS
tice where / thought the facts requir-
ed that justice should be done him.
In exactly the same way have acted
and shall act as regards the steel cor
poration."
Names Trust Man for Bryan.
The president, taking up Mr.. Bry-
ans assertions, further continues:
You ask me to name single Off
! cial connected with law-defying cor
poration who has declared or will de-
clare that he is supporting you. In a
ST. Louis paper which reaches me at
| the same time the papers containing
this published letter of yours, l find a
statement from Judge Henry S. Priest
attorney for the Waters-Pierce Oil Co.,
the Western subsidiary Or repre- sen.
| tative of the Standard Oil company
| in which he announces that he is for
Bryan and states that Wall street be
lieves Bryan will be elected. In re
Spouse to the question as to whether
he could quote any of the Standard
Oil magnates as feeling that way, he
answered: Il did not say l saw any OF
the officials of the Standard company
am giving you what l found was the
drift of opinion among wellposted
politicians as well as bankers. :.
! guess Governor Haskell is all right
They have not proved anything on
him. have they?"
/ The newspaper clipping goes on tc
say: Judge Priest was one of the
1 lawyers who fought Attorney Genera
Hadley in the states custer suit
against the Waters-Pierce and Repub
! lie Oil companies. His legal practices
is chiefly with the big corporations
and his firm is counsel for the United
Railways company ard the North Am
erican interests in st. Louis Judge
Priest is credited with originating the
phrase, Bribery is conventional of
fense,' which he used in an argument
at the trial of r. M. Snyder, the Kan
sas City millionaire. now dead"
Special Interests for Bryan.
You say the trust magnates know
Judge Taft. So far as their Interests
are simply interests of the bushes:
community. and especially of the wage
workers. I believe they will supper
Judge Taft. So far as they have spec
ial interests which are to them more
important than the general bushes:
welfare. I believe they will supper
you.
4 base this belief upon what happen
ed in 1896. Your success then would
In my belief, have been calamity fol
the country from the standpoint of thu
welfare of the business men. farmer.
and working men, just as, in my be
lief, your success now would be ca
i lamity to the country, both from tn,
; standpoint of business land especial
lily Of the interests of the wage work