Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-24

President Roosevelt last night gave out
his reply to Mr. Bryan's telegram of in
'uuiry directed 10 the President person
ally Tuesday. asking the latter to prove
his charge that Gov. Haskell of Oklahoma
was working in the interest of the Stand
ard Oil Company.
Mr. Bryan had declared that the Pres-
dents reflection against the Oklahoma
governor. who is the treasurer of the
democratic national committee. would. if
proved true, react against the entire
democratic party and its candidate.
The President spent almost the entire
day in getting the letter in shape An
hour was given in the morning to max
ing rough draft OF it which was sub
mitted TO Secretary Garfield and Post
master General Meyer, both of whom
made suggestions as to portions of the
communication About o'clock yester-
day afternoon all of the members of
the cabinet now in the city, Secretaries
Wilson. Straus. Wright, Metcalf and Gar
field and Postmaster General Meyer. met
the President i'll the ca binet room at the
executive Office for a conference on the
subject which lasted until after 3 o'clock.
Two hours more were required to make
certain minor changes before Secretary
Loeb gave it TO the press.
Deeming the reply too long to be sent
by wire. the method of communication
Mr.. Bryan had employed in his challenge
to the President. it was forwar ded by
mail to the democratic candidate at Lin
coin, Neb
The President in his reply, does not
take up the specific charge. to which Mr..
Bryan most pointedly referred to wit,
any relations which Gov. Haskell may
have had with the Standard Oil concern
while he a resident of Ohio. but he
makes Nh. Bryan's inquiry the basis of
caustic arraignment of the Oklahoma gov
ernor in general. and the medium of a
sharp attack upon the democratic candi-
dates popular campaign batteries
He contrasts Mr.. Tafts attitude toward
Senator Foraker with Mr. Bryan's reIa-
tions with Gov. Haskell. and asserts il is
A scandal and disgrace that Gov. Has
ken should be connected with the man
agement of any national campaign.
THE PRESIDENTS REPLY.
President Roosevelt's letter to Mr. Bry-
an is as follows
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON. September 3D. 1908
Dear Sir: In your telegram you speak
OF SO much of the charge against Gov
Haskell as dealt with his relations while
In Ohio with the Standard Oil Company
You omit the charge as to his relations
with the Standard Oil interests as shown
by his action while governor of Okla
hona. TINS very summer. this action be-
ing. in part taken while he was at
Denver where, as YOU state. he was by
your wish made chairman of the com
mlitee which drafted the platform upon
which YOU are standing
In my statement | purposely made no
SPECIFIC ailuSiOn to the Ohio matter and
shall al this time make none. in spite of
is significance and in spite of the furt her
fact that Gov Haskell's close relations
with the Standard Oil interests while he
was in Ohio was matter of common
lutorlety.
Matter of Court Record.
In Oklahoma it is matter of court
ecord. BY this court record it appears
nat the attorney general of the state,
elected by the people. obtained an In
junction to prevent the Prairie OIL and
.as Company from building a pipe hne,
and that Gov. HASKELL found this out
while he was at Denver, as appears by the
representation for the dissolution of the
Injunction made in his name in behalf of
LECTION 10 that which had issued the in
junction.
In this the governor states that the
iCtng governor, in his absence. had asked
hat the hearing be postponed until he
the goVernOrD might return and have
an opportunity to investigate the contro-
rersy. The governor sets forth in his pc
tion that he Is the sole authority to de-
ermine such matters, and that the attor-
hey general and the judge of the lower
curt had no right in the matter. and
hat the action of the judge of the lower
'ourt represented AN encroachment by
he judiciary.
Attorney General Baked.
The attorney general opposed the dis