Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-26

average mind, but / have already
shown in former statement that the
certificate of deposit was sent on ac-
count of the proposed purchase Of the
Ohio State Journal, and that the propo-
sition to purchase being abandoned, 1t
was returned on the 4th day of Febru-
ary, only week after 1t was received
Mr.. Foraker here introduces the let
ters to verify his statement as to the
newspaper proposal. He continues:
"If Mr.. Hearst had read these ac-
companying letters, particularly that
from Mr.. Archbold, of January Fl,
and my letter of February 4, returning
the money, he would have known that
the certificate of deposit had no refer
ence whatever to the Jones bill or
any othr bill.
''Mr. Hearst states in his speech at
Columbus that the letters had been
furnished to him by a gentleman
whose name he would not give, for
fear the Standard Oil company might
prosecute him.
Perhaps, but Perhaps
perhaps this gentleman did not
find those missing letters. Perhaps II
he found them he did not furnish them
to Mr. Hearst. In any event. perhaps
the omission to read them was made
because If read, they would have de-
feated the object to be accomplished.
However that may be this corre-
spondence surely and conclusively dis
poses of that matter.
until now l have not made any
statement about the letter Mr.. Hearst
read at Columbus from Mr.. Archbold
to me, dated March 3, 1900, calling my
attention to two bills introduced in
the Ohio legislature by Mr.. Price.
have delayed saying anything about
this letter because, having no recol-
lection on the subject, ! have been
trying to ascertain if I received the
letter, what l did with 1T, or did on
account of 1t.
"I cannot find any trace Of such
letter in my files or of any answer in
my letter book. I have not been able
to communicate with Mr.. Price, who
introduced the bills mentioned. but he
has stated in public interview that
he abandoned the bills because Cover
nor Nash told him Senator Hanna and
1 were both opposed to the measure
and that we feared 1t might damage
President McKinley's interests in the
national campaign, upon which we
were then entering. Mr.. Prices state
ment suggested to my mind that in all
probability I referred the letter to
Governor Nash.
"In any event know that I took
no action with respect to 1t or any
other bill pending in the Ohio legis-
lature at that time or at any other
time since DSCa1l0 Il IIleIuDeT VI Tic
senate, March 4, 1897
"In no instance since that have I
sought to influence any legislature on
any subject except by argument in
the open.
Got Occasional Letters
while have occasionally heard
from Mr.. Archbold during the period
that has elapsed since the termination
of my employment in the early part of
1901, do not recall receiving any let
ter from him except the one relating
to the Jones bill, and that had no ref
erence to pending bills or to anything
with which 1 had any official duty to
perform. In any event, he never ad-
dressed me on any subject since my
employment, except only as any other
citizen with whom / was acquainted
might have done, and there was never
suggestion from him or from any
body else that was under the Slight
est obligation to support or oppose any
proposed legislation on behalf of that
| company; nor was there ever a sug-
gestion by anybody that I should re-
ceive a compensation or reward of any
| kind whatsoever on that account. And
what Is true in this respect as to the
/ Standard Oil company, is also and
equally true as to other trust, corpora
| ton or person. notwithstanding that
| the president says in his answer to Mr..
! Bryan of September 23 that I was the
| representative and defender of corpor-
alton in the senate, there is not word
! of truth in such statement, whether
made by him or anybody else, and there
| is not scrap Of evidence that can be
produced showing any such charge that
cannot be as fully and satisfactorily
explained as has been explained by the
letter about the Jones bill and the pro-
posed purchase of the Ohio State
Journal
Letters of Leaders
"This brings me to Mr.. Taft's letter
and what the president has said in his
comments on the same.
"If the president in publishing 1t had
not withheld the name of the man to
whom it was written 1t might be easier
for me to show that / am not RESPONSE
BILE for that mans action.
1.-THE man himself would have re-
futed the impression the president ap-
parently seeks to create that he wrote
either at my instance or in my in
stance. I have not at any time or In
any way sought for Mr.. Tafts help for
reelection to the senate
when Mr.. Tafts candidacy for the
presidency was first announced I was
surprised to learn from the newspapers
that the program of those having it in
charge involved me by elimination
from public life.
IAN open declaration of war such as
the elimination proposition involved
naturally brought controversy and
strife when there should have been
only peace. Finally Mr.. Cox announced
a harmony proposition-Taft for presi-
dent Harris for governor, and me for
senator. He did that on his own mo-
tion, not only without a request from
me, but contrary to my desires. New
ertheless, I at once publicly announced
that If 1t expressed the wish of the
Republicans no one would support Taft
more than I.
"Thereupon Mr.. Burton gave out an
interview in which he stated that Mr..
Taft would not accept from the Repub-
| licans of Ohio any Endorsement of the
presidency If coupled with an indorse-
ment of me for the senatorship. 1 am
| quoting from memory and do not ex-
pect to give his exact language. but
| / know / am accurately stating the
effect of it. This appeared to be such
| a gross public insult and SO uncalled
for that hostilities were Immediately
resumed.
HostiIities Ended?
"They continued until Mr.. Taft was
| nominated even so far as / was con-
cerned; they stopped instantly. and
supposed from the character of Mr..
| Taft's response to my note of congrat-
ulation that they stopped on his part;
| at least was so assured by his friends
and managers, and in that connection
was also assured that Mr.. Burton had
no authority to give out his offensive
| interview.
.Much more of the same character
might be mentioned, but / have said