New-York tribune., 1908-09-22
PRESIDENT ON
FORAKER AFFAIR
APPEALS STRONGLY FOR
SUPPORT OF TAFT.
Says Ohio Senator Represents Cor
porate Interests Opposed to
Roosevelt Policies.

the President. which called forth by the re-
cent exchanges between William r. Hearst and
Senator Foraker. OF Ohio. was made public by
Secretary Loeb to-day. Mr.. Hearst. in public
utterances. had accused the Senator with rela-
tions with the Standard OIL Company incon-
sistent with his duties as a Senator and his at
titude as a representative OF Republican poll
cies and professions.
In to-day's statement President Roosevelt
makes another appeal for the support OF Mr.
Taft and declares that his defeat would bring
Lasting satisfaction to but one set OF men.
namely. to those men Who as shown in the cor
respondence published by Mr. Hearst. were be-
hind Mr.. Foraker. the opponent Of Mr.. Taft
within his own party, and who now are behind
Governor Haskell and his associates. the oppo-
nents of Mr.. Taft in the opposite party"
The statement embodies a letter written by
Mr.. Taft to a friend in Ohio on July 20. 1907. In
which the present Republican candidate for the
Presidency refused to acquiesce in the plan OF
the Ohio State Central Committee to indorse
Mr. Taft for the Presidency and Mr.. Foraker
for reelection TO the Senate in single resolu-
ton. The President points out that Mr.. Tafts
attitude has always been directly opposed to
| that charged against Senator Foraker by Mt.
Hearst regarding the moneyed interests The
President cites the Brownsville affair a case
where the agitation phase OF the effort
"by the representatives of certain law-defying
corporations 70 bring discredit upon the admin
istration." 1t was, he says. in large part, not
a genuine agitation on behalf OF coIored men al
ALL
The Presidents statement is follows:
| In view Of Mr. Hearst's disclosures about Sem
| ator Foraker, make public the following letter.
written by Mr.. Taft on July 90 1907. to a friend
| in Ohio. prominent in Ohio politics. who wrote
him before the meeting Of the state central
committee asking whether he would object TO
| the committee passing a resolution indorsins
/ Mr.. Taft for President and Mr.. Foraker for Sen
| ator. in the interest OF harmony copy OF
/ this letter was submitted 10 me at the time but
| after the original had been sent 1t was not in
| tended for publication, but it was understood
| that If necessary IL should be published
| personally know that the strongest pressure
| by various party leaders was brought on Mr.
| Taft at that time to consent to the proposed
| rangement and he was Informed by leading men
1 from other states that II he would consent to
| this arrangement all opposition on the part OF
/ Mr.. Foraker and the part Of some OF Mr.
/ Foraker's influential friends in the Senate and
| elsewhere would cease and that Mr. Tafts nom
! nation for the Presidency would be assured
| But Mr.. Taft declined for one moment 20 con-
| slider any possible advantage to himself where
/ stake. His attitude on this question, as well
! as countless such questions, convinced me
I that of all the men in this Union he was the
I man pre-em1nenty NJ IN point OF uprgntnesS
| and character. of fearless and aggressive hon.
! esty. and of fitness for championins the rights
! of the people a whole, to be President
| Senator Foraker had been leader among
those members of Congress of both parties who
! have resoIutely opposed the great policies Of in
| ternal reform for which the administration has
| made itself responsible His attitude has Eeen
| that of certain other public men. notably (as
/ shown in this same correspondence published by
/ Mr.. Hearst) Governor Haskell Of Oklahoma
/ There is a striking difference in one respect,
| however in the present positions OF Governor
| Haskell and Senator Foraker. Governor Has
| kelI stands high IN the councils OF Mr Bryan
| and is the treasurer of his national campaign
| committee Senator Foraker represents only
| the forces which in en5ittered fashion fought
| the nomination of Mr.. Taft and which were
! definitely deprived of power within the Repub-
| Iican party when Mr.. Taft was nominated. The
| publication OF this correspondence not merely
/ justifes in striking fashion the action OF the
administration but also casts curious sidelight
/ on the attacks made upon the administration
| both in the Denver convention which nominated
| Mr. Bryan. and in the course Of Mr.. Bryans
! campaign.
NEED OF MR. TAFTS ELECTION.
| There is only one way to preserve and per-
| petuate the great reforms, the great advances
! In righteousness and upright and fair dealing
which have marked the management Of the af-
| fairs of the national government during the LAST
| seven years, and that is by electng Mr. TAFT
| To defeat him will bring lasting satisfaction TO
| but one set of men. namely. TO those men VINO.
| as shown IN the correspondence published by
| Mr.. Hearst, We're behind Mr. Foraker. the op-
| ponent OF Mr.. Taft within his own party and
| who now are behind Governor Haskell and his
associates. the opponents of Mr. Taft in the op-
| posite party.
\ The great and sinister noneyed interests
] which have shown such hostility to the admin
| istration, and now to Mr.. Taft, have grown 10
/ oppose the administration on various matters
/ not connected with those which mark the real
/ point difference. For instance. the entire
/ agitation Brownsville was in large part not
| a genuine agitation behalf of colored men at
/ ALL but merely one phase Of the effort by the
| representatives Of certain law defying corpora
/ tiOns to bring discredit upon the administration
| because it seeking to cut out the evils con-
| nected not only with the corrupt use OF wealth.
/ but especially with the corrupt alliance between
| certain business men Of large fortunes and GER
/ tain politicians OF great influence The
| onouS hostility Of these interests and OF their
special representatives in public life and In the
/ press. to the nomination of Mr. Taft merely
the natural sequence Of their hostility to the
| measures of the administration for the regule-
/ tiOn of great corporations doing an tnterstaIs
/ business and to the attitude Of the administers.
i ton in consistently prosecuting all offenders q
/ great wealth, precisely as IT has prosecuted Al
other offenders Mr. Taft has been nominated
| for the very reason that he is the antithess OF
| the forces that were responsible for Mr. Foraker.
| TAFTs VIEW ABOUT FORAKER
The letter OF Mr.. Taft is as follows:
| War Department Washington
| "Pointe au Pic. Canada. July 20. 1907
1 My Dear Mr.. .
i express myself with much emphasis pos
| sibe; that is. whether l would Object'tO COM
i promise resolution which shall include IN
| dorsement OF myself for the Presidency and
| Senator Foraker for the Seratorship. In my
| Judgment IL would be not only great mistake
| something more II would be accepted neces-
| sarily as a compromise on my behalf. and there
| fore. with my acquieScence. at least with the
| acquiescence OF my friends. for whose action
| am more less responsible. II would totally
| misrepresent my position don't care for the
| Presidency IL il has 20 come by compromise
with Senator Foraker or any ore else in a mat
! ter of principle. He has opposed the vital poll
| cies and principles of the administration. and
| in his opposition has seized upon and magnified
| an important but incidental matter to ernbarrass
the administration. using in this, without scrUplc
| hind race prejudice TO accomplish his main