The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-28
SEVERAL ADMISSIONS
ARE MADE Which MAY
AFFECT THE CAMPAIGN
Charges Which Bryan Made Against
Roosevelt and the Republican
Party Are Hardly Answered
at All in the Maze of
Many Words.

Washington September 27.-President
Roosevelt late tonight made reply to w.
j. Bryan's recent speech, in which he
maintained that the democratic party and
platform were not getting square deal
in the campaign that the Presidents
profession of fair treatment entitled them
to. Mr.. Roosevelts reply deals particu-
larly with Mr.. Bryans assertion that the
administration has been neither sincere
or effective in the prosecution of trusts.
Mr. Roosevelt combats this charge with
characteristic emphasis, and sets forth in
detail what has been done under his
direction toward curbing the tendency of
capital to centralize with view to de-
stroying competition. The Presidents let
ter In part follows:
Washington, September 2 1908.
Dear Sir:--I have seen your letter pub
lshed in this mornings papers. AS to
most of what you say about me PERSONAL
ly do not regard any answer as neces-
.sary. When you say that l am unfair
to your platform you reiterate certain
opinions as to which / had quoted, with
my hearty approval, Governor Hughes
in my first letter; and these, therefore,
it is also unnecessary to answer. You
have not answered the Hughes speech,
and in my judgment you do well not to
make the attempt. You say that your
platform declares In favor of the vigor-
Gus enforcement of the law against guilty
trust magnatene a.nd officials, and that the
platform upon which Mr. Taft stands
makes no such declaration. 1t was un-
necessary. That platform approved the
policies of this administration, and prom
ised to continue them; and here, as usual,
l have only to compare your words with
the deeds of the administration and of
Mr.. Taft. You merely promise in your
platform that you intend to do just what
this administration has actually done and
is doing.
ITO show the difference between deeds
and words, / will compare the record of
this administration with the record of
one of your most prominent supporters
at the moment, Mr.. Olney Attorney Cen
eral under the last democratic admin
istration. While Mr. Olney was Attorney
General no cases whatever were brought
under the antitrust law, against COM
binations of capital, the only new cases
which he brought being directed against
cOmDlnat1OnS OF WOrklnBmen. DurlnB
that entire administration the only cases
brought against combinations of capital
under the antitrust act were four in
number, two of which were unsuccessful
one of the other two being the case which
was decided by Judge Taft in favor of
the government.
Many Cases Brought.
'Under this administration a mass of
such cases have been brought. including
the case against the Northern Securities
company; against the beef packers;
against the Federal Salt company, against
the General Paper company; against the
Otis and other elevator companies;
against the American Tobacco company
against the powder trust; against the
Virginia. Carolina Chemical company
against the Standard Oil company, and
others.
I'm a number of these cases the gov
ernment has already succeeded by In
functions and otherwise. Some of the
cases are now pending. In hardly any inn
portant cases against great law breaking
corporations has the government yet suf-
fered final defeat
"As regards suits to suppress railway
abuses, under the last democratic admin
istration there were no indictments
against shippers for receiving rebates or
secret rates. Under my administration
there have been 40 indictments for secret
rebates, resulting in Is convictions; and
in only four cases have these indictments
failed The other q cases are still pend
ing Among the railroads which have
been convicted are the Chicago and AL
ton, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. the
New York Central, the Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific, and the Chicago, Mil
waukee and St. Paul, while scores of
cases are still pending against other lead
ing railroads.
Convicted Shippers.
Among the shippers that have been
convicted are some of the greatest corpor-
ations in the United States; as, for in
stance, the American Sugar company, IT,
aggregate fine actually paid being more
than s150,0O0; Swift & Co., Armour Pack
ing company, the Cudahy Packing COM
pany, Nelson Morris & Co. each of whom
was fined $4,000, and the cases have now
been carried to the supreme court. The
Standard Oil case is still pending. This
is & record of actual achievement and
beside it mere promises are empty indeed,
and they would not be made now with
any possibility of performance resulting
If it were not for the achievement above
recited.
You state that the steel company, with
my express consent, purchased one of its
largest rivals, and thus obtained control
of over so per cent of the total output.
This action of the Steel company (Which
increased it's share of the total output by
only about per cent, and in no way al
tered the standing of the company under
the law may have been a violation of
your plan, the absurdity of which has
been exposed by Governor Hughes. But
there was no violation of the law. | was
cognizant of the entire transaction. 1t
was not entered into by the Steel corpora
tion of its own desire, but solely at the
urgent request of the corporation pur-
chased, and of the big banks holding that
corporations securities. In order to enable
them to prevent a crash which would
have turned the panic of last fall into the
most widespread disaster. I should, in
deed, have been derelict in my duty If I
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