The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-30
80 lftH
BRYANS ANSW ER
Democrat Candidate Replies to
President Roosevelt.
Points to His Record as Ri futa-
tiOn Of InsinuatiOns.
HAS LIVED IN VAIN.
If Accusations of Chief Execu.
tive Lose Him a Vote.
He Lays Stress on Publicity of
Campaign Funds.
HAS LIVED IN VAIN.

lived in vain If your accusations lose
me a single friend" said W. j. Bryan
in a letter addressed to President
Roosevelt replying to that Of the presi-
dent written Sunday last.
Mr.. Bryan points to his record and
declares that it is a sufficient answer
to the Instructions of the chief execu-
tive that he is in sympathy with or
controlled by the trusts.
Reverting to the charges against
Governor Haskell, Bryan says that the
president. in response to his request,
did not deign to suggest a tribunal
which could determine those charges.
but instead proceeded TO pass judgment
upon him and he informs the president
tnat. the occupant of that high Office
can not deny. to- the -humblest citizen
the right to protect his reputation and7
vlndicate his name in the courts. TAX
Ing up the presidents assertion that
certain truSt5 magnates fearing prose-
cution undergAfr. Taft, will support the
Democratic candidate Mr. Bryan
charges that the president worded the
statement in such a way as to claim
the support of all the trust magnates
and yet put it on the ground that
patriotic reasons rather than for the
promotion of a selfish interest.
Such an argument" he contends,
is ingenious. but not sound In proof
of the fact that he would not be con-
trolled by the trusts Mr.. Bryan says
that if elected he will enforce the anti.
trust laws. mot spasmodically and -ins
termittently, but. persistently, and con-
sistently." .-..
Mr.. Bryan, in dealing with the DEM
ocratic campaign fund Of 1896 as COM
pared with the Republican campaign
fund OF 1904, charges that the president
pays more attention to the mote than
the beam" and asserts in 1904 the Re-
publicans used in one state alone a
fund almost as large as the entire sum
the Democratic party had in its con-
troll The letter concludes with notice
to the president that an opportunity
will be afforded him to misrepresent
the motives OF those who give to Cur.
campaign fund and to arouse all the
suspicion he cam
The letter is as follows:
Bryan's Letter.
Rock Island, III. Sept 20. 1908.
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, President of
the United States, Washington, D. @.
Dear Sir:-A brief reply to your last
letter is all thatsfs necessary to call at
tention to your eattFmpt to, shift the is
sues raised. In your letter attacking
Mr.. Foraker, you inserted an attack
upon Governor Haskell and attempted
to use the, charges against him to con-
meet thes Democratic party and me as
it's candidate with the trusts. L asked
you to name a tribunal before which
the charges could be investigated or II
you would not do that offered to leave
you to say whether, in your judgment
the charges justified Mr.. HaSkelPs
withdrawal OF the organization. You
did not deign to suggest tribunal, but
proceeded to pass, judgment upon him.
He Immediately resigned his position
that he might be. free to prosecute
those who brought accusations against
him. Thus his connection with his or
ganization ended had no authority
to submit and did not submit. to you
the question of his guilt or innocence
for final decision. Even the president
cannot deny to the humblest citizen or
the land the right to protect his repu-
tation and vindicate his name IN courts
established for the purpose where Wit
nesses can be examined and evidence
submitted according to the rules OF
law. ss- 5rs.s-s
scented the imputation that any
charges made against Governor Has
kell could be justly construed as con-
Meeting the Democratic party or me
as it's candidate, with any trust or
law-defying corporation. You re-
piled that the. charges were a matter
of notoriety and I asked you why MT.
Taft did not mention them when he
Oklahoma. You at. once endeavored
to connect me with new matters
which arose after the Denver con-
vention and conscious that those.
charges were Insufficient you have
given wings to accusations that no
disinterested party would make
against another. without investigation
L am willing that all your charges
against me shall be submitted to the
voters of the country and with your
- ,,1x~ Il
knowledge or Information that could
in the remotest way connect me with
any trust monopoly or law defyfng
corporation Ny record is SUFFICIENT
answer to your insinuatfon. have
lived in vain il your accusations lose
me a single friend.
Refers to Challenge.
81 challenge you to name a trust
official who is supporting me and, af-
ter searching the country, you produce
the name of one man, not a trust
official, but the - attorney or trust
Without inquiring whether he votes
for me because of his connection with
a trust or in spite of it. or because of
his fear of business adversely under
Mr.. Taft, you accept his statement
that he will vote for me as con-
elusive proof that 1 am in league
with the trusts although you admit
that trust officials are supporting the
Republican ticket. Are you support
ing the Republican ticket? You COM.
pliment me when you measure me by
a higher standard than you do your
political associates, for you insist that
Mr. BOOKSELLERS contribution to
Governor Hughes campaign fund was
no reflection upon him, and I take it
for granted that you do not criticise
Judge Taft's Recommendation of a
Standard Oil attorney to the federal
bench, a place where the judge might
have to pass upon charges against the
very trust for which he had been at
torney. While the trust attorney to
whom you refer is not an official of
any trust, VIII warn him and
through him his clients that If am
elected will not only vigorously en-
force against all offenders of the law
Vrbict vz-o 9r,ra fd have enacfed in