The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-19
Governor Proves Charges Are
Without foundation
HAS LABOR ENDORSEMENT
Haskell Declares Hearst Has a Brain
Full of Absurd and Blind Ambi-
tions and That His State
ments Are Absurd.

Chicago, September 1S.-(Special. )-Gov.
| Haskell of Oklahoma, who, with William
Jennings Bryan, was recently made the
object of a bitt n attack by William R.
Hearst, has made a scorching reply in
which he shows that the accusations pre-
ferred against him are malicious and
untrue. Governor HaskelIs interview in
reply to Mr.. Hearst speaks for itself. 1t
says:
Chicago, ILL.,, Sept smber IA, 1908.
You may ask what l think of the ques-
ton of veracity between Mr.. Bryan and
Mr.. Hearst. That question has promptly
settled itself IN the mind of every Amer
lean. regardless of his politics. The
truthfulness of w. j. Bryan is never
questioned by any honest American, but
as for myself. 1 happen to have very
| good reason for questioning any state
ment made by Mr. Hearst.
| In recent speeches, he has said that
l am interested in the Standard Oil
company and in representing it," The
| fact is that I never had dollars in
terest directly or indirectly in the Stan
dard Oil company, nor in any enterprise
} of any character in which the Standard
Oil company was directly or indirectly in
| terested.
In the second place, 1 never performed
any service for that company, and I
never was in its employ, nor in the EN-
! ploy of any company directly or indirect
/ ly connected with the Standard OIL COM
pany, nor was L ever asked by anyone
/ to become an employe, representative,
agent or attorney, nor to perform any
! service of any character for that COM
pany.
Also in recent speeches, Mr.. Hearst
says that I organized a Citizens AL
lance at Muskogee, Oklahoma, to fight
union labor, and that I am an enemy of
union labor" AS to the Citizens Al
lance, there is not one word of truth IN
Mr.. 4earsts statement. A year ago last
| April and May in the state primary
wherein 1 was nominated for governor
! OF Oklahoma, this same proposition was
| sprung on me and used at the campaign.
7 requested an investigation by the state
executive board of the American FEEDER
| alton of Labor That board assembled at
Muskogee; took sworn testimony LOT
| whole day and night. and made their re-
port, finding that there never mad peen
q citizens Alliance at Muskogee, ana
| that the effort to form one and flght
union labor had been defeated by my OPP
position to it, aided by other citizens.
give YOU herewith copy of written
statement made by Pete Hanraty at that
time president of the State Federation Oh
Labor. who presided at the meeting ol
said state executive committee; 1000
"McAlester Okla, September o. iTVo'
"Mr w. r. Hearst:
.a,rhe Dallas News of this morning, sep
TENDER s, in quoting your speech In DaV-
enport Iowa, attacks Governor Haskeii
and claims he was member OF the Cil-
zens' alliance. The statement is not true.
The executive board of the American FED
Grafton of Labor made a thorough lnves-
tigation of the same charges, ana they
| could not find where there ever was
| charter of that organization In Musko-
gee The evidence showed that the citl-
zens of Muskogee held a meeting, Gov
ernor Haskell being present, and mace
! motion that business men, union men ana
non-union laboring men be allowed 10 pc
present and that blocked the game OF
the few men who were trying to organ
ize d Citizens alliance in that place. The
evidence also showed that Charles N.
Haskell employed union labor and often
paid higher wages than the union scale
rate This same story was started on
Governor Haskell during his campaign
for governor of Oklahoma, but was SO
false that it fell fiat.
Governor Haskell has done more in the
last two years to better the condition OF
the farmers and laboring people than any
man in this country.
"PETE HANRATY,
Eek President of the Twin Territory Fed
GRAFTON of Labor.
In the constitutional convention in Okla
homa l stood for every measure protect
| ing the rights of the laboring man, and
received their unqualified thanks for my
efforts. l was the author of the trial by
jury provision in certain contempt cas- $
which the national representatives of
union labor have declared to be the most
advanced step in defense of human liberty
and the sacred ri ghts of the people.
l also am proud of the resolution unan-
imously adopted at the annual meeting
of the State Federation of Labor on July
Is, 1908. at Ardmore, Okla.
The legislative committee at the end of
their report as to legislative work, wrote
the following paragraph:
1.-The above, we believe is a record in
legislation which has never been equalled
by any other state in the union, and the
following men must be given credit for
this splendid record. First on the list of
friends of labor comes Governor Haskell.
always ready and willing to lend his as
sistance by day or night to our legisla-
tive board when our labor laws were in
danger. His office rooms were open to
us at all times and we are free to confess
that had it not been for Governor Haskell
large number of laws that were enact
ed during the first session of the legis-
lature, would not be on the statutes of
Oklahoma today"
The above quotation is found on papes
10 and 16 of the printed report of tbe
state labor convention and was unani-
mously adopted by the votes of all the
delegates there assembled.
I am also proud of the following letter
from e. "A. Bowerman, president of Okla
hona State Federation of Labor, acknowI-
edging a congratulatory telegram sent
him on September Z:
"Oklahoma City, September s. 1908.
Gov. c. N. Haskell, Guthrie, Okla.
"Dear Sir;-Your telegram of the 18th
inst. at hand today. The change of nv
residence will explain why same was moi
delivered on date sent
II certainly appreciate the spirit that
prompted you to send those words OF
cheer and knowing you as we do here
in Oklahoma we know them to be sin
cere.
"The constitution of Oklahoma stands
as monument that is pointed to with
pride by every union man and woman In
Oklahoma, and you as a delegate by your
untiring efforts made it possible for Ok.