Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-28

corporation or us own desire, out SOLE
ly on the request Of the corporation
purchased and Of the big banks holding
that corporations securities, in order to
enable them to prevent a crash which
would have turned the panic of last fall
into the most widespread disaster. 1
should have been derelict in my duty II
had not SO acted and efficiently used
all the power of the government. where
1t could be legally and properly used
(as 1t was in this case). to see that the
panic was kept within the smallest pos
sible radius and the damage caused as
slight as possible.
You would better understand the prin-
ciple on which I acted II you would rid
yourself of the idea that 1 was trying to
discriminate for or against any man or
corporation because he or 1t is either
wealth or not wealthy. regard such
discrimination in either direction as ut
terly incompatible with a spirit Of hon.
esty and fair dealing. I have my dis
wealth.
Northern Securities Suit.
when the same men who were leaders
in the Steel orporation acted in connec-
ton with the Northern Securities suit in
a manner which I regarded as contrary
to the law, by my direction successful
suit was Immediately undertaken against
them. If they violate the law in connec-
ton, I will Immediately proceed against
them. Until they do violate the law they
will be treated precisely as any Other cor
poration. great or small, which obeys the
law. is treated.
Il treat each man and each corpora
tion with a view solely to whether he or
1t Is acting rightly on given occasion.
Let me give you an example: I have
preceded against the corporations of
which Mr.. E. H. Hartman Is the head on
On tot fnte xr,lSA h41l@ 49,. L.
violated the law. But when in connec-
ton with the breaking of the Salton sea
dam one Of the Hartman corporations
repaired the dam. l last winter did
everything 1 could to have Congress re-
imburse Mr.. Hartman for so much Of
the obligation as I felt ought to come
upon the United States. l would hold
myself unfit to be President If. because
1 prosecuted Mr.. Hartman where
thought he had broken the law. 1 yet
thought the facts required that justice
should be done him. In exactly the
same way l have acted and shall act as
regards the Steel corporation.
You ask me to name a single official
connected with a law-defying corpora
ton who has declared or will declare
that he is supporting you. In a ST.
Louis paper which reaches me at the
same time that the papers containing
this published letter of yours. find a
u
attorney for the Waters-Pierce Oil Com
pany. the western subsidiary or repre-
sentative of the Standard Oil Company,
In which he announces that he is for
Bryan, and states that Wall street be-
lieves Bryan will be elected.
Oil Attorney for Bryan.
In response to the question as to
whether he could quote any of the Stand
ard OIL magnates as feeling that way. he
answered:
81 did not say 1 saw any Of the off,
Gals Of the Standard Oil Company I
am giving you what I found was the
drifs of opinion among we'll posted poll
ticians. as we'll as bankers. I
guess Gov. Haskell is all right. They
have not proved anything on him, have
they?'
THE newspaper clipping goes on to
say that Judge Priest was one of the
LAWYERS who fought Attorney General
Hadley in the states custer suit against
the Waters-Pierce and Republic OIL COM
panies His legal practice Is chiefly with
the big corporations and his firm is coun-
sci for the United Railways Company and
the North American interests in St. Louis.
Judge Priest Is credited with originating
the phrase. Bribery is conventional Of
tense. which he used in an argument at
the trial OF r. NJ. Snyder. the Kansas
City millionaire. now dead.
You say that the trust magnates know
their own interests and are supporting
Judge Taft. So far as their interests are
simply the interests of the business COM
munity. and especially Of the wage-work-
ers. believe they will support Judge
Taft. So far as they have special inter-
ests. which are to them more important
than the general business welfare. I be-
lieve they will support you. l base this
belief upon what happened in 1895 Your
success then would in my belief, have
been a calamity for the country from
the standpoint OF the welfare of the bust
ness men. farmers and workngmen: lust
as. In my belief. your success now would
be calamity to the country. both from
the standpoint Of business land especially
OF the interests Of the wage worker) and
from the standpoint OF morals.
Free Silver Contributors.
lone Of your supporters, the New York