Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-10
|ARvESTER TRUST INQUIRY
Being Investigated by Bureau Of
Corporations.
TAWNEY ON APPROPRIATIONS
He Thinks the Total Can Be Kept
Within 5000, 1000, ooo-Not
With Four Battleships.

President Roosevelt and Senator Aldrich
conferred this morning past the time for
the former to get down to the big caoi-
net table with his advisers in their semi
weekly meeting. The conference lasted
about half an hour. and there is little
question that it related to the financial
measure bearing the name OF the hnooe
Island senator. This, too. was not by
any means the first conference on the
same subject. Senator Aldrich has been
at the White House a number OF times
lately. and 1t has come to be generally
reported that the President is heartily
backing the Aldrich bill. having been IN
formed that it Is the only financial meas
ure that can go through Congress at this
session. The fact that one or two demo.
cratic senator's who have been more or
less friendly to the administration say
that they have been sent for by the White
House to discuss pending legislation has
brought out the report that the President
has asked them to vote for the Aldr1ch
bill, which he considers non-partisan. out
necessary in view Of present conditions.
If the attitude of the President Is correct
ly represented he has confined his talks
to leaders of the two parties and not TO
the general run Of callers who have
brought the financial question to his at
tention. To the latter he has refrained
from expressing opinions except to the
effect that he hoped to see legislation
enacted at this session correcting the dan
gers of the existing currency system OF
the country.
Representative Fowler. apparently
aware Of the strong combination he Is
up against, Is working harder than ever
to insure the defeat Of the Aldrich bill
in the House and the adoption Ct his
own. Financial and business orsaniza-
lions opposing the Aldrich bill are let
ting their views be known at the White
House. and Representative Fowler Is
not objecting to this procedure.
The Harvester Trust Investigation.
The international harvester trust.
which the farmers Of the country COM
plain is the worst combination they
have to do business with. has been
under investigation by the bureau Of
corporations. Of which Herbert Knox
Smith, who visited the President today.
is chief. for nearly a year under
resolution put through the last session
OF Congress by Senator Hansbrough.
According to present information, the
investigation lacks number OF months
Of being completed. The force OF the
bureau of corporations was pulled of
look into the affairs of the Standard
Oil. This was by direct orders Of the
President. Since the Standard Oil re-
ceived heavy swat, the bureau has
gone back to the harvester trust, and Is
pushing that work right along The
trust, 1t Is said. does q business Ut 500
100000 a year in foreign countries. and
it's business in these countries. espe-
cially something of its prices for differ
emit machinery. is now being looked into.
trus. sells its machinery abroad at lower
prices than at home. The business OF
the trust In this country Is pretty well
known to the bureau. which will report
that the combination unquestionably reg
ulates prices everywhere and operates in
violation of the provisions OF the Sher-
man antitrust law.
Five or six months ago Attorney Cen
erol BonapaTte was about to begin pro-
ceedings against the trust, but held up
action in the courts pending the con-
clusion of the work Of the bureau. The
Department Of Justice long ago complet-
ed separate investigation of the COM
bination that furnishes the farmers with
the bulk of their farm implements, and
reached the conclusion that the trust
should be made to answer in the courts
as to the legality of its manipulations Of
the trade of the country. 1t Is presumed
the Attorney General will still refrain
from action until the bureau of corpora
lions makes it's report.
Tawney on Appropriations.
Representative Tawney, chairman of the
House committee on appropriations. spent
some time with the President today, hav-
ing been sent for by the chief executive.
Regarding the appropriations of the pres
ent Congress, Representative Tawney said
he hoped to see the total kept within
$500. 600 600. Last year." he said, 1.-The
total reached $500 OO0.O coo. but We hope to
cut off at least $50, 100000 this year.
Does this total include the four battle
ships Representative Hobson predicts will
be provided at this session.
NO Should there be four battleships
the total appropriations would reach
$94O. COO, coo, or about, $10,0OO,OO0 for each
ship
"As to report that you favor eight
battleships?"
There is as much truth in that as there
is that l am for four.
LAS to Representative Hobsons state
ment that sixty democrats will vote for
four battleships?''
"All I know is that Representative Pad
gett Of Tennessee told ME that not over
ten democrats would vote for four battle.
ships"
Representative Tawney is distinctly Of
the opinion that two battleshps will be
the maximum of Congress liberality to
the navy.
President Talks in German.
President Roosevelt held long CONVEX
sation in German today with DR.. Nathan
Birenbaum. leader Of the Jewish national
party in Austria David B. Tierkel. editor
Of leading Jewish paper in Philadelphi
and Representative Goldfogle of New
York. The visitors were greatly pleased
with the Presidents knowledge of Ger
man. "Only once did he falter for
word" one of them said. land he quickly
remembered that
DR.. Nathan Birenbau UNI is in the United
States to study political conditions here.
with the hope Of applying some of our
equality in laws and as between man and
man to his own country. The President
told his visitor that in this country there
is no occasion for division along racial or
other lines. I'VE are all Americans" he
said. Then he told that in his Rough
Rider regiment he had a number Of He.
brews. Il never asked what their ma
tionality was" he told Dr. Birenbaum
THE only question was whether they
were Americans and brave men. They
were both, 1 may say"
Bill Sewall the old Maine guide. who 10
one Of the Presidents best friends, was a
guest of the President at luncheon this
afternoon. Sewall still makes a business
of running camps in the Maine woods
but he has turned the work over to his
son, and devotes most OF his time, as coll
to caring for the interests of Uncle Sam.
He accompanied the President on several
hunting trips.
DIR. Holmes Going to Rome.
Secretary Wilson announced. after the