Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-12
ALDR|CH DENIES
BR|STOW CHARGES
Declares He Has Not Profited
by the Increased Tariff
ON RUBBER MANUFACTURES
Says His Company Deals Only in
Crude Article.
WHY RATES WERE RAISED
Speaks Of Attacks Led by Men
Whose Political Existence De-
ponds Upon Their Capacity
for Interpretations"
WHY RATES WERE RAISED

Senator Nelson W. Aldrich of Rhode
Island issued a statement last night
denying in their entirety the charges
made by Senator Joseph L. Bristow OF
Kansas in recent campaign speeches deal
ing with the tariff on rubber. He re-
ferred in caustic language to Senator
Bristow and what he terms little
group of men that entertain opinions
similar TO the Kansan.
The Aldrch letter is addressed to Will
lam b. Mckinley of Illinois. chairman
Of the republican congressional commit
tee. and was sent to the headquarters OF
the committee in this city. The explana-
ton of the rubber duties and the denial
OF the charges of Bristow are based on
the fact that Senator Aldrich was called
or by a republican candidate Tor Con-
gress to furnish the facts connected with
the changes made in the recent tar1H
at
The letter follows:
Providence. r. l.. August 10. 1910
Hon. William b. Mckinley, chairman. re-
publican congressional committee,
Washington. D. c.:
Dear Mr.. Mckinley-I have been asked
by republican candidate for Congress
In an Illinois district 10 furnish him the
facts with reference to changes in the
rubber duties in the tariff act Of 1909.
The persistent reiteration OF the absurd
pisstatements of Senator BriStow with
reference to the tariff on rubber furnishes
such a characteristic illustration Of the
nature Of the criticisms and the charac-
ter of certain critics of the tariff act Of
1909, that il seems to me deSira BILE that
a full statement OF the facts should be
made i'm response to the inquiry.
Senator Bristows statements were as
follows:
l. That the Senate committee on
finance. of which 1 was chairman. in
creased the duty upon certain manufac-
lures of rubber from 80 to 35 per cent.
:. That during the session, or immedi-
ately after the adjournment of Congress,
]. in conjunction with others, had organ
lied a gigantic rubber trust, known as
the Intercontinental Rubber Company, in
which ] was large stakeholder and d.
rector.
3. That this huge rubber trust immedi-
stely advanced largely the price of crude
rubber, the supply of which II absolute
y controls.
J. That this vast rubber monopoly. the
Intercontinentai Rubber Company, was
able on account of the changes i'm the
tariff referred TO, to advance-and did
rapidly advance-the price Of every rub
Der product, from automobile tires to
babies rattles.
=. That the increase in the rate on
rubber manufactures from 30 to 80 per
cent enabled the Intercontinental Rubber
Company to realize Immediately enormous
profits, shown by the large dividends
il has paid in the early months of the
present year, and that the increase In
rates was brought about with this end
in view.
Director in Rubber Company
II is true that an increase in the rates
took place in paragraph 4S3. which in
chlded certain manufactures of india rub
ter with other items, and il is also true
that ! am a stakeholder and a director
In tho Intercontnental Rubber Company:
hut none of the other statements referred
To contain a single element of truth. l
should he glad to think that in these
statements Senator Bristow had been
cruelty imposed upon by some designing
person. as I do not like TO believe that
any senator could be guilty OF deliberate
~ manufacturing statements SO false in
every particular.
Neither the Inter-Continental Rubber
Company. nor | nor any member of my
family has ever had any pecuniary inter-
sst as TO whether the rates on manu-
features of rubber were 80. IS or 800 per
cent, or whether crude rubber was on the
ffro or the dutiable list.
The IHter-Continentai Rubber Company
was incorporated in 1906, with the gen.
eral powers of business corporation.
There has been no change whatever,
either during after the session of Con-
>gress, since that time in the business or
control OF the company or in the purposes