Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-22

| Oyster Bay, n. Y, Sept. 21.-Late to-
day Secretary Loeb gave to representa-
t;ves of the press a formal statement
| by the President which was called forth
| by the recent exchanges between Viii
| liam r. Hearst and Senator Foraker OF
| Ohio. Mr.. Hearst, in public utterances,
| had accused the senator OF relations
with the Standard Oil Co., inconsistent
with his duties as senator and his at
titude as a representative of the Re
publican policies and professions. In
tcday'S statement President Roosevelt
makes arother appeal for the support
of Mr.. Taft and declares that his defeat
would bring lasting satisfaction to but
one set of men, namely to those men,
who, as shown in the correspondence
published by Mr.. Hearst. We're behind
Mr. Foraker, the opponent of Mr. Taft,
within his own party. and who row
associates, the opponents of MIR Taft
in the opposite party
The statement embodies letter writ
ten by Mr.. Taft to friend in Ohio July
20, 1907, IN which the present Republi-
can candidate for the Presidency re-
fused to acquiesce in the plans Of the
Ohio state central committee to endorse
Taft for the Presidency and Mr.. For
aller for reelection to the Senate in a
single resolution.
The President points out that Mr..
Taft's attitude has always been di-
rcctly opposed to that charged against
Senator Foraker by Mr.. Hearst regard
ing the moneyed interests.
The President cites the Brownsville
affair as a case where the agitation was
a phase Of the effort 'hy the rcprcsen-
tatives Of certain law-defying corpora
lions. to bring discredit upon the ad-
ministrsltiun." 1t was, he says IN large
part not a genuine agitation on be-
half OF colOred men at ALL"
The statement follows:
I'm view of Mr.. Hearsts disclosures
about Senator Foraker, l make public
the following letter written by MIR Taft
on July 20, 1907, to friend prominent
in Ohio politics, who wrote him before
the meeting of the state central COM
nlttee asking whether he would object
to the committee passing a resolution
endorsing Mr. Taft for President and
Mr.. Foraker for senator in the interest
of harmony. A copy of this letter was
submitted to me at the time, but after
the original had been sent it was not
intended for publication, but it was un-
derstood that if necessary it should be
published.
Il personally know that the strongest
pressure by various party leaders was
brought on Mr.. Taft at that time to
consent to the proposed arrangement
and he was informed by leading men
from other states that if he would con-
sent to this arrangement all OPPOSE
ton on the part of Mr.. Foraker and on
the part of some of Mr.. Foraker'S in
tiuential friends in the Senate and else
where would cease and that Mr.. Tafts
nomination for the Presidency would be
assured. But Mr.. Taft declined for one
moment to consider any possible adj
vantage to himself where what he le-
garded as a great principle was at
stake. His attitude on this question. as
well as on countless such questions
convinced me of all the men in this
Union he was the man prominently fit
in point of uprghtneSS and character
of fearless and aggressive honesty, and
Of fitness for championing the rights of
the people as a whole, to be President
Senator Foraker has been leader
among those members of Congress of
10th parties who have resolutely op-
posed the great policies of International
reform for which the administration
has made itself responsible. His atti-
tude has been that of certain other PUB
lie men, notably Gas shown in this same
correspondence published by Mr.
HearsU Governor Haskell Of Oklaho-
ma. Thare is striking difference in one
respect, however in the present posi-
ton of Gov. Haskell and Senator For
aker Gov Haskell stands high in the
councils Of Mr.. Bryan and is the treas
urer of his national campaign commit
tee. Senator Foraker represents only
the forces which. in embittered fashion,
fought the nomination of Mr. Taft and
which were definitely deprived Of power
within the Republican party when Mr.
Taft was nominated.
The publication of, this CORE
spondence not merely justfieS in Strik-
ing fashion the action of the admins
tratlon, but also casts a curious side
| light on the attacks made upon the ad-
| ministration both in the Democratic
| convention which nominated Mr.. Bryan
and in the course of Mr.. Bryan's cam
paign. There is but one way to preserve
and perpetuate the great reforms, the
great advances in righteousness and
upright and fair dealing, which have
marked the management of the affairs
of the national government during the
| last seven years, and that is by elect
ing Mr.. Taft. To defeat him will bring
lasting satisfaction to but one set OF
men. namely, to those men who. as
shown in the correspondence published
by Mr.. Hearst, were behind Mr. For
aker, the opponent of Mr.. Taft within
his own party, and who now are behind
Gov. Haskell and his associates. the
opponents of Mr.. Taft in the opposite