Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-10-02
BRYAN and ROOSEVELT.
Democratic Candidate Comes Back
At President.
WILLING FOR VOTERS TO Decide,
Another Strong Letter In Remarkable
Controversy Between the Heads Of
the Two Great Political Parties.


Rock Island, ILL.,, September 29.-"l
have lived in vain If your accusations
have lost me a single friend" saio
William ]. Bryan in a letter addressed
today to President Roosevelt, replying
to that of the president written Sunday
last.
Mr.. Bryan points to his record and
declares that it Is sufficient answer tc
the insinuations Of the chief executive
that he is in sympathy. with, or con-
trolled by the trusts.
Reverting to the charges against
Governor Haskell Mr.. Bryan says that
the president in response to his re-
quest did not deign to suggest a tri-
bunal which could determine those
charges, but instead proceeded to pass
judgment upon him, and he informs the
president that the occupant Of that
blest citizen the right to protect his
reputation and vindicate his name In
the courts.
An Attempt to Shift the Issues.
The letter is as follows:
Rock Island, Ill.,, Sept. 29, 1908.
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, President
of the United States, Washington
D. C.
Dear Sir: A brief reply to your last
letter is all that is necessary to call at
tention to your attempt to shift the
issues 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 the Democratic party, and me as
it's candidate, with the trusts. I asked
you to name a tribunal before which
the charges could be investigated or
If you would not do that, offered to
leave it to you to say whether, in your
Judgment the charges justified Mr.
Haskelps withdrawal from the organ
ization. You did not deign to suggest
a tribunal, but proceeded to pass judg-
ment upon him. He Immediately re-
signed his position that he might be
more free to prosecute those who
brought accusations against him. Thus
his connection with the organization
ended, I had no authority to submit
and did not submit, to you the question
of his guilt or innocence for final de-
cision Even the president cannot deny
l. oif nf q
right to protect his reputation and vim
dicate his name in courts established
for the purposes where witnesses can
be examined and evidence submitted
according to the rules in law.
I'm my first letter to you, resented
the imputation that any charges made
against Governor Haskell could be just
ly construed as connecting the Demo
cratic party or me as its candidate
with any trust or law-defying corpor-
alton. You replied that the charges
were a matter Of general notoriety, and
I asked you why Mr.. Taft did not men,
ton them when he made speeches
against Mr. Haskell in Oklahoma You
at once endeavored to confront me
with new matters which arose after
the Denver convention and, conscious
that those charges were insufficient
you have since given wings to accusa-
tions that no distinguished party would
make against another without investi-
cation.
Willing For Voters to Decide.
II am willing that all your charges
against me shall be submitted to the
voters of the country. 1 submit my de-
NAL of any knowledge or information
that could, in the remotest way, con-
meet me with any trust, monopoly OF
law -defying corporation. My record is
sufficient answer to your insinuation
have lived in vain, If your accusa-
tions lose me a single friend. I chal-
lenged you to name a trust official who
is supporting me, and, after searching
the country, you produce the name OF
one man, not a trust official but the
focal attorney of trus t. Without in
uuiring whether he votes for me be-
cause of his connection with trust, OF
in spite Of 1t, or because Of his fear OF
business adversity,' under Mr. Taft
you accept his statement that he will
vote for me as conclusive proof that
am in league with the trusts, although
you admit that trust officials are sup
porting the Republican ticket
"You compliment me when you
measure me by higher standard than
you do your political associates, for you
insist that Mr.. Rockefeller's contribu-
ton to Governor Hughes campaign
fund was no reflection upon him and
take it for granted that you do not
criticse Judge Taft's recommendation
of a Standard Oil attorney to the Fed
eral bench, a place where the judge
might have to pass upon the charges
against the very trust for which he
had been attorney.
while the trust attorney to whom
you refer is not an official Of a trust,
I will warm him and through him his
clients that If 1 am elected, 1 will not
only vigorously enforce against all Of
tenders the laws which We hope to
have enacted in compliance with the
Democratic platform but that I will
also vigorously enforce existing laws
against any and all who violate them,
and that l will enforce them, not spas
medically and intermittently but per-
sistently and consistently; they will
not be suspended, even for the pro-
lection of cabinet officers.
You say the attitude of many men
of large financial interests warrants
you in expressing the belief that those
trust magnates whose fear Of being
prosecuted under the law by Mr.. Taft
IS greater than their fear of general
business adversely under me and will
support me rather than Mr.. Taft. You
have attempted to word that statement
in such a way as to claim the support
Of all the trust magnates, and yet put
it on the ground that they are support
ing your party for patriotic reasons
rather than for the promotion Of self
ish interest That is ingenious but 1t