The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-25
CONNECTION WITH OIL
COMPANY WELL KNOWN
President Declares Law Defying Trusts
Have No Fear Of Bryan.

WASHINGTON, Sept. ls.-Pres
don't Roosevelt. tonight, following u,
= 9 prolonged conference with men
Aers Of the cabinet 1t the whit
dsuse prepared and gave out Ms repl
T. William J. Bryan. the Democrat
candidate. with reference to Willia1
9. Hearst's charges that Governo
Haskell. treasurer Of the Democrat
National committee, had r~epresente
The Standard OIL company both i
Ohio and Oklahoma. Mr.. Bryan ha
demanded proof Of the charges. prom
tsing that II the event OF their sui
sanitation. Governor Haskell woul,
- eliminated from tho campaign.
Diminishing the Ohio case, which in
yolved IN allegation Of attempte,
bribery. with the explanation that b,
had made charges against Governo
Haskell as regards that particular in
stance. President Roosevelt takes u,
the matter Of the Prairie Oil and ia,
company and argues that Governo1
Haskells action in stopping legal pro
ceedings begun by tho attorney gen
eral Of Oklahoma demonstrated con
clusively that he was controlled By
the great corporation to which the Ok
lahoma company was q subsidiary
After contrasting Mr.. Bryan's defense
Of Governor Haskell as against Judge
Taft's reputation OF Senator Foraker
in connection with Hearts charges
against the Ohio senator. the president
proposes to declare that Governor
Haskells utter unfitness for associa,
ton with any man anxious to appeal
to the American people on . moral is-
sue, has been ab%undantly shown By
other acts Of his as governor Of Okla
bona.
The president condemns Governor
Haskell's conduct in connection with
the various matters as d~isgraceful and
scandalous.
Corporations do not Fear Bryan.
The latter portion Of Mr.. Roosevelt's
deltverance is devoted to criticism Of
Mr.. Bryan's plan for regulating the
trusts, which he characterizes as q
measure that sounds more radical
than any advocated by the Republic
cans, but which in practice would not
work. Concluding Mr.. Roosevelt de-
ciares that no law defying corporation
has anything to fear from Mr.. Bryan,
"save what it would suffer from the
general paralysis OF business" which
would follow Democratic success.
The president spent almost the en-
tire day In getting the letter in shape.
An hour was given this morning to
making 2 rough draft Of it, which was
submitted to Secretary GARFIELD and
Postmaster General Meyer, both Of
whom made suggestions as to portions
Of the combination. About 8 O'Clock
this afternoon all of the members Of
the cabinet now In the city, Secreta-
ries Wilson, Stratus. Wright. Metcalf,
GARFIELD and Postmaster General Mey-
or met With the president In the cab
met room ct the executive once tor
= conference on the subject, which
lasted until after 5 o'clock. Two hours
more were required to make certain
changes, before Secretary Loeb gave
it to the press.
Deeming the reply too long to be
sent by wire, the method Of commun-
ication Mr.. Bryan had employed in
his challenge to the president, 1t was
forwarded BY mail to the Democratic
candidate at Lincoln.
President Roosevelt's answer to Mr..
Bryan's letter follows:
Roosevsit's Reply.
THE WHITE HOUSE. WASHING
TON. Sept. %, 1907
Dear Sir-h your telegram you|
speak Of 80 much Of the charge
against Governor Haskell Is dealt
with his relations while IN Ohio, with
the STANDARD OIL company. You omit
the charge q to his relations with
the Standard OIL company interests
Is shown by his action while governor
Of Oklahoma, this very summer, this
action ;hainr IN mart fa1xnn -lnilo shol