Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-09-26


shington-President Roosevelt
following a prolonged conference with
members of the cabinet at the White
House, prepared and gave out his re-
ply to w. j. Bryan, the Democratic
| candidate, relative to w. II. Hearst's
charges that Gov. Haskell, treasurer
of the Democratic campaign commit
tee, had represented Standard Oil in
terests both in Ohio and Oklahoma.
Mr. Bryan had demanded proof of
the charges, promising that in the
event OF their substantiation Gov
Haskell would be eliminated from the
campaign.
Discussing the Ohio case, which in
volved an allegation of attempted brib.
cry, with the explanation that he had
made no direct charge against Gov.
Haskell as regards that particular in
stance, President Roosevelt takes up
the matter of the Prairie State Oil &
Gas company and argues that Gov.
Haskell's action in stopping legal pro-
ceedings begun by the attorney gener-
al of Oklahoma demonstrates conclu-
sively that he was controlled by the
great corporation to which the Okla
homa company was subsidiary.
After contrasting Mr.. Bryan's de-
fence of Gov. Haskell as against Judge
Taft's reputation of Foraker in con-
necton with w. R. Hearst's charges
against the Ohio senator, the president
proceeds to declare that Gov. Has
kells utter unfitness for association
with any man anxious to appeal to the
American people on a moral issue"
has been abundantly shown by other
acts Of his as governor of Oklahoma.
The president condemns Gov. Has
kells conduct in connection with va
rious matters as disgraceful and scan
dalous, and calls special attention to
what he describes as 'prostituting to
base purposes the state university"
This fresh charge against the COVER
nor rests on an article in the Outlook
from which the President quotes and
which, he says, forms the conclusion
that Gov. Haskell is unworthy of any
position in public life.
The latter portion of Mr.. Roosevelt's
deliverance is devoted to criticism OF
Mr.. Bryan's plan for regulating the
trusts, which he characterizes as
measure that sounds more radical than
any advocated by the Republicans, but
which in practice would not work. Con-
cluding, Mr.. Roosevelt declares that
No 1am RI opypopoti
thing to fear from Mr.. Bryan save
what is would suffer from the general
paralysis of business which would fol-
low Democratic success"
The President spent almost the en-
tire day in getting the letter in shape
An hour was given in the morning to
making a rough draft of it which was
submitted to Secretary Garfield and
Postmaster General Meyer, both of
whom made suggestions as to portions
of the communication. In the after
noon all of the members of the cabinet
now in the city, Secretaries Wilson,
Straus, Wright, MetCalf and Garfield
and Postmaster General Meyer, met
with the President in the cabinet room
at the executive offices for conference
on the subject which lasted until af-
ter o'clock.
Two hours more was required to
make minor changes before Secretary
Loeb gave 1t to the press.
Deeming the reply too long to be
sent by wire, the method of communi-
cation Mr. Bryan had employed in his
challenge to the President, it was for
warded by mail to the Democratic can
didate at Lincoln, Neb.