Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-01-13
TELLS soLoNs THEY HAVE NO
RIGHT TO KNOW REASONS
FOR HIS ACTION.
EXECUTIVE SUBJECT TO coNsTl-
TUITION AND LAWS, NOT
TO CONGRESS.
lNsTRucTs ATTORNEY GENERAL
RoNAPARTE NOT TO RESPOND
TO inquiry.

Washington, Jan. 7.-PreSld6 ut
Roosevelt yesterday informed the
senate in no uncertain terms that he
had given his approval TO the absorb
ton of the Tennessee Coal and Iron
company by the United states Steel
corporation. and that he had instruct
ed Attorney General Bonaparte not to
respond to the senate inquiry as to
the reason for his failure to prose
cute the steel company. The presl-
dent concludes his message with the
statement that he does not conceive
ito be within the authority of the
senate to give directions of this char
acter TO the head of an executive de-
partment."
The message to the senate is in re-
Spouse to a resolution introduced by
Senator Culberson calling on the at
torney general to state whether he
had brought action against the steel
company, because of its acquisition OF
the Tennessee concern, and If not, the
reason for non-action. While the res
olution was not directed to President
Roosevelt. his attention was called to
it by Attorney General Bonaparte,
who, after quoting the requirements
of the resolution. said:
LAS you are aware, no such pro
eeedings have been instituted
Commenting upon the attorney gen
erals letter the president says:
"As to the transaction in question,
1 was personally cognizant of and re-
sponsible for its every detail"
Then for the information of the
senate" the president transmits a
copy of his letter to tie attorney
general, in which he says that Judge
Gary and H c. Frick in behalf of
the steel corporation had called upon
him and stated that a certain import
ant business firm would fail If help
was not given; that this help could be
given by the purchase of the securi-
ties of the Tennessee Coal company
which the firm held; that the steel
corporation had been urged to buy
these securities, which as a business
transaction it did not care to do, but
that notwithstanding the little bene-
fit that would come to the steel cor
poration it was willing. in order to
prevent the threatened failure and
panic that might follow, TO purchase
the stock, were it not for the prob
able attack upon them on the ground
it was trying to secure monopoly
of the business. Frick and Gary
stated. so the president says, that
their sole interest was to prevent a
general industrial smashup at that
time, November, 1907 The presi-
dent says that in view of these facts
he felt it no public duty of his to in
terpose any objection
Resuming his message the presi-
dent says:
After sending this letter was
advised orally by the attorney gen
eral that in his opinion no sufficient
ground existed for legal proceedings
against the steel corporation and that
the situation had been in no way
changed by its acquisition of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron company.
Il have thus given to the senate
all the information in possession of
the executive departments which ap-
pears to me to be material or rele-
want of the subject of the resolution,
I feel bound however, to tell you that
/ have instructed the attorney gen
eral not to respond TO that portion of
the resolution which calls for a state
ment of his reasons for non-action. !
have done so because / do not con-
eeive it to he within the authority of
the senate to give directions of this
character to the head of an executive
department, or to demand from him
reasons for his action. Heads of ex-
ecutive departments are subject to
the constitution and 70 the laws
passed by congress IA pursuance of
the constitution and to the directions
passed by congress in pursuance of
the constitution and to the directions
of the preside of the United States,
but to no other direction whatever"