Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-10-01
DECLARES TRUST vloLATERs
HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED
IN EVERY INSTANCE.
DEFENDS HIS ADMINISTRATION
Hartman Contribution Cited to Prove
Administrator Was Not In
Husnesd by Money In Last
Campaign.

Washington.-With characteristic
aggressiveness President Roosevelt
made reply Sunday night to William
J. Bryan's recent letter and speech,
In which he maintained the Demo
cratic party and platform we're not
getting a square deal in the campaign.
The president sets forth in detail what
has been accomplished by the Repub-
lican party since the last Democratic
administration, and compares Il with
the work accomplished under Demo
cratic rule. The president says that
under the last Democratic administra.
ton not a single indictment was re.
turned against shippers for receiving
secret rebates. Under Republican
management forty.nine indictments
have been returned for secret rebates,
with eighteen convictions, In only
four cases have the indictments failed.
The other twenty.seven cases are still
pending.
President Roosevelt cites the Chi.
cago and Alton. Chicago. Burlington
and Quincy, New York Central. Chi.
cago, Rock Island and Pacific and
Chicago. Milwaukee and st. Paul as
railroads that have been convicted
with other charges against other roads
still pending The president further
says that suits have been brought
against the packing. salt, powder.
Standard Oil and other trusts. Among
the shippers that have been convicted
are the American Sugar Company.
Swift & Co. Armour Packing Com.
pany, Cudahy Packing Company and
Nelson. Morris & Co. The STANDARD
Oil case Is still IN the courts.
Explains Steel Trust Deal.
Relative to the steel trust consoli.
dation mentioned by Mr.. Bryan, the
president says the deal was made with
his knowledge at the instance OF the
lesser concern, and that IL such action
had not been taken the country would
have seen a greater panic than It did,
It was to hold the approaching depres-
sion down to the narrowest possible
field that II was done. but II is clearly
shown the steel corporation acted
within and under the law In every re-
spect.
The president makes II plain that
Mr.. Taft is not running for the pres.
idency on promises. but on the record
OF the Republican administration OF
the past in that he is pledged in the
platform 10 carry out the policies of
the party inaugurated during the in
cumbency OF Mr.. Roosevelt. rhe
platform is plain on this point ana
there is no going behind. 1t Mr.. Roose-
welt declares.
Relative to campaign contributions
the presidene asserts he is willing and
anxious for publication and strongly
denies that any contribution has in
the past or will in the future influence
the Republican administration. In
this Connection he cites the Hartman
contribution and points out that he
has prosecuted Mr.. Hartman for what
he believed TO be a violation OF the
law. At the same time he shows sir.
Hartman has had a square deal from
the administration, recalling his
action in the Salton Sea matter. At
this juncture Mr.. Roosevelt points out
the heavy contributions TO the Bryan
campaign OF 1896. showing the owners
Of the great silver mines did all in
their power TO force a 5O.cent dollar
on the American public.
Gov. Haskell comes in for a share
in the reply TO Bryan. and Mr.. Roose.
Welt insists that IL the Democratic
nominee did not know OF the charges
against Haskell 1t was because he re-
fused to read them when presented TO
him by Editor Russell or Andarko.
oklahoma.
The president declares that the In
terror Department will endeavOr TO sse
that the courts do Justice TO MIR,
Haskell in connection with certain
transactions in Creek township lots
which he reviews.