New-York tribune., 1908-09-30
MR.. BRYAN REPLIES
POINTS TO HIS RECORD.
Ans1oer to the President Charges At
tempt to Shift Issues. :.

vain II your accusations have lost a single
friend, said William J. Bryan in letter ad-
dressed to-day to President Roosevelt at Wash
ington, replying to that of the President writ
ten Sunday last
MT Bryan points to his record and declares
that 1t is sufficient answer to the insinuations
of the Chief Executive that he is in sympathy
with or controlled by the trusts
Reverting to the charges against Governor
Haskell, Mr.. Bryan says that the President
in response to his request did not deign to
suggest q tribunal which could determine those
charges but instead proceeded to pass Judgment
upon him, and he informs the President that
the occupant of that high office cannot deny to
the humblest citizen the right to protect his
reputation and vindicate his name In the courts
Taking up the Presidents assertion that
tain trust magnates fearing prosecution under
Mr. Taft will support the Democratic candi-
date, Bryan charges that the President worded
his statement in such way to demand the
support Of all the trust rnagnates "and yet put
II on the ground that they supporting your
party for 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 controlled by the trusts he says
that If elected he will enforce the antitrust
laws. mot spasmodically and internittenty but
persistently and consistently
Mr.. Bryan. in dealing with the Democratic
campaign fund OF 1896 as compared with the
Republican campaign fund of 1904 charges that
the President pays more attention 10 the mote
than to the BEAM" and asserts that in 1904 the
Republicans used in one state alone a fund
almost as large the entire sum the Demo-
cratic party had in its control
MR. BRYAN's LETTER.
The Ie+rAr foIIovrs.
Dear Sir: A brief reply 70 your last letter is ell
mat Is necessary to call attention to your attempt
70 snlft the issues raised In your letter attacking
MI Foraker you inserted an attack upon Governor
Haskell, and attempted to the charges against
him TO connect the Democratic party, and
us candidate, with the trusts. l asked you to
name tribunal before which the charges could
fered to leave it to you to say whether, in your
Judgment, the charges justified Mr. HaskeIls with
drawal from the organization You did not deign
me3f mon him he frnIedfat teI,e resigned his nosi
ton that he might be more free to prosecute those
who brought accusations against him. Thus his
connections with the organization ended. had
the question of his guilt or innocence for final de
humblest citizen Of the land the right TO protect
his reputation and vtndicate his name in courts
established for the purpose, Where witnesses can
be examined and evidence submitted according to
In my first letter to you I resented the imputa-
ton that any charges made against Governor Has
Democratic party. its candidate. with
any trust or law-defying corporation. You replied
them uben he made speeches against Mr. Haskell
in Oklahoma. You at endeavored TO connect
me with matters which arose after the Denver
convention. and conscious that these charges were
insufficient you have given wings to acsusa-
tions that no disinterested party would make
against another without Investigation am Will
ing that all your charges against shall be sub
charges I submit my denial OF any knoWledse or
Information that could in the remotest way con
meet me with any trust monopoly or Ia"-derylng
My record is sufficient answer to your insinua-
j--, s4r Sari In
me single friend. challenged you to name
trust official who is supporting me-, and, after
searching the country, YOU produce the name of
one man not a trust official but the local attor-
ney Of a Without inquiring whether he votes
for me because OF his connection with a trust or
in spite Of it, or because OF his fer OF business
adversely under MI Taft, you accept ms state
ment that he will vote for me as Conclusive PROOF
admit that trust officials are supporting the Re-
ngler @ s Stl.G @ inssf tfat MI Rockefeers contri-
b}Itfon i1 70 Governor Hughes campaign sund
no reflection upon him. and take 1t for granted
ion ion Of a STANDARD oil attorney to the federal
bench, place where the Judge might have G TO pass
he had been attorney
PLEDGES TRUST PROSECUTION.
not an oficiaI of a trust, will warn him. and
through him his clients that Il am G eieCfeG Cfte1d
the laws which We hope to have enacted in in
that I will also vigorously enforce existing laws
against any and ali who violate them, and that /
fente w 6ut persigentiy and consistently they win
not be suspended, for the protection Of Caoi-
IF large financial interests' warrants you in
pressing the belief that those trust magnates
whose fear of being prosecuted unueT the law DS
Mr. Taft is greater than their fear of general
rather than Mr.. Taft You have attempted TO word
that statement in such a way as 10 claim lhe
or the ground that they are supporting %our ptIty
for patriotic rather than for the promo
ton of a selfish interest. That is ingenious, but
n IS not sound. The trust magnates are fupport-
ing the Republican party, and the b1be oIeIs an
ass his masters crib -,
You admit that you gave permission TO the Steel
troll of the output Of steel and iron products VIII
cave the American people to pass Judgment upon
that act and compare your position on the trust
question with mine You refer to Your campalgn
fund in 1896 and accuse us Of allowing Two men 10
committee conducted the campaign am not sure
about the figures because ha{e not seen . an @ @a
informed that the largest Of the two sums which
c,, mention was NOT all contributed by the man TO
Lorn II was credited but included contributions
fror1 others we'll that which he gave hlinseIi
But if you want 70 he fair why do YOU not glgc
the amount of the Republican campaign fund that
wear and the sources of 1t: am Wiling 70 haEo
,j,n contributed fund Of loss than 5000 600
had pecuniary interest in the result OF the eiec
tion how viii yOn explain Inc a'TllIo"S @ III,
ions made to the Republican ffnd If YOU WI
remember the Democratic PLATFORM cannaaE a ~ ue r
ciared tho partVS purpose II tIe .. C'I ,LS 20 80,
tbat nolicv would have been OF advantage 10 any
&c the whole ruhIic had knowledge and the pnhH,
a+iou OF the contributions would not nave aicle.
The result publicity as 10 campaign IuhoS is hor
% hut Ia direct attention to secret Agref
rnentr axr,resseyl implied which would Otherwise
oe 80 % csrtaInlv nav more attention 10 the mote
than 10 the beam when you hnd faiI VIII IN, s tiS
ance Of fund almost rs large which at & go9r re-
onest was collected from Few persons III =, 70 t." an a.;
4- 4u ,,zeJ IN one state and only small item IN
the FUND .e caIs Of ,olr naTtv.s position and an
he