The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-12
A Sweeping Denial Accompanied
by Explanations.
WAS MADE BY REQUEST
Change in Rates ON Rubber to
Help Collectors.
Was of No Interest Whatever to
Him Personally.


son w. AIdrich of Rhode Island.
enumerating the counts under which
he was indicted by Senator Jos. L.
Bristow of Kansas in recent campaign
speeches dealing with the tariff on
rubber, in a letter made public, de-
MES the charges in the entirety.
Incidentally, he pays respects In
caustic language to Senator Bristow
and what he terms a little group of
men" which entertain opinions sim
liar to those of the Kansan. The let
ter is addressed to w. B. Mckinley of
Illinois, chairman of the Republican
congressional committee, and was
sent to the headquarters of the COM
mittee in this city.
The explanation of rubber duties
and the denial of the charges made
against him by Senator Bristow are
based upon the fact that Senator Al
drich was called upon by Republ1-
can candidate for congress to furnish
the facts connected with the changes
made in the recent tariff act.
Referring to the charges made by
Senator Bristow as absurd misstate-
ments,'' Senator Aldrich said the per-
sistent reiteration of them impelled
him to make a full statement. AT
the outset of his long letter the sena-
tor divided the speeches of Mr.. Bris-
tow into five parts, each of which
contained specific charge. He then
dealt with them in order.
In the first place the senator de-
clared the increase from 80 to 35 per
cent on a small number of articles
of manufactured rubber articles was
for the purpose of making the tariff
uniform on kindred articles and facil-
| itating the labors of the customs Of
ficers. In that connection he made
public a letter to him from General
ad
| New York board of general apprais-
| ers, asserting that the change was adj
visable and had been agreed to unaHi-
| mously by the senate and house COM
mittees and by the -conferees on the
| tariff bill at the earnest solicitation of
| the tariff experts of the treasury de-
partment. Laying particular stress
/ upon this charge made by Mr.. Bris-
| tow. the chairman of the senate
finance committee said that neither he
nor any member of his family ever
has had any pecuniary interest as to
whether the rates on manufactures of
| rubber were 80, 35 or 800 per cent.
| or whether crude rubber was on the
| free or dutiable list.
| Dealing then with charges that the
] IntercontinentaI Rubber company, of
which he is adirector, is a trust, that
| it advanced the price of crude rub
ber and controlled the world supply
/ and that the company had paid
enormous dividends, Mr. Aldrich treat
ed each separately and at great
length.
| Without raising any issue concern
| ing the "progressives' :" campaign gem
| Bristow and his immediate associ-
| ates as follows:
''In the tariff discussion of other
| days the advocates of the protective
] policy usually had been called to meet
| in debate men with convictions on the
subject = Democrats of Character
whose theories of government differed
| completely from those held by Repub-
| lican protectionists-men who had
some regard for accuracy of their
statements and some knowledge of the
| subject they discussed. Now attacks
upon president and Republican
| measures are led by men whose M
htlcal existence depends upon their ca
pacity-and to this there seems to he
no limit-for Misrepresentation as
the ignorance of their adberents
Strangely enough, this little groun ~
men-very small in NUMBERING a.
rogated to itself the leadership of III
progressives and its mem bers nrate
ABOUT the treatment of the tariff as
moral question: as
The Reply in Full.
The letter follows:
Providence, r. l.. Aup IN ,oo
Hon. William B. Mckinley. chairna ;,
Republican Congressional Commit
tee, Washington, D. c.:
Dear Mr.. Mckinley: I have h,an
asked by Republican candidate for
|. congress in an Illinois district To fur
nish him the facts with reference to
changes in the rubber duties in tha
tariff act of 1909
1.-The persistent reiteration of tha an
surd misstatements of Senator Bristow
with reference to the tariff on ruhhar
furnishes such a characteristic films
tration of the nature of the criticism,
and the character of certain critics of
: the tariff act of 1909 that it seems fo
: me desirable that full statement Of
the facts should be made in response
to this inquiry.
Senator Bristow's statements wers
as follows:
THAT the senate committee on
finance, of which l was chairman. in
t creased the duty upon certain manu-
factures of rubber from 30 to 35 Der
cent.
'.2-That during the session, or i'm
, mediately after the adjournment oi
: congress, I, in connection with others
! had organized gigantic rubber trust
: known as the International Rubber
( company in which I was a large
: stockholder and director.
''3-That this huge rubber trust i'm
mediately advanced largely the price
!, of crude rubber. the supply of which
! it absolutely controls
s+That this vast rubber monopoly
9 the Intercontinenta1 Rubber company
: was able on account of the changes In
, | the tariff referred to to advance and
I did rapidly advance-the price of every
= rubber product. from automobile tires
: to babies ratt1es.
. ..lThat the increase in the rate .,r
rubber manufactures from 30 TO 35 pei
cent enabled the Intercontnental Rub
[. her company to realize immediately
= the enormous profits as shown by ths
4 h 10 IN