New-York tribune., 1910-11-06
ROOSEVELT ATTACKS
HARM0N'S RECORD
Says He Was UnfaithfuI to
State as Receiver of
C., n. & D.
THE CASE OF PAUL MORTON
Harmon Attempted to Discredit
an Innocent Man, the Ex- x-Presi-
dent Declares-Ohio Public
Utilities Bill.

Utilities Bill.
Ioleoo Nov. 5.-A sharp personal attack
on Governor Judson Harmon was made bx,
ex-Presdent Roosevelt here to-day In his
first speech in the campaign in Ohio. He
reviewed Gov ernor Harmon's connection
with the Cincinnati. Hamilton & DAYTON
Railroad of which he was receiver. and
sdlu that tEe Governor had not performed
his duty TO the state faithfully Mr. Roose-
velfs address was delivered in Valentine
Theatre. When he arrived in Toledo he
was cheere1 by crowds in the streets as
he drove to the theatre.
He began his address by saying that "in
the Democratic press there had appeared
to-day a telegram addressed to him. and
sent apparently on Governor Harmon's
behalf, by Mr.. Powell, a former Democratic
candidate Tor Governor" The telegram
read Governor Judson Harmon is the
same Judson Harmon who as special coun-
sci traced the crime of rebating to Paul
Morton. resignng when you refused to pro-
ceeG against This member of your Cabinet :"
"he message asked Mr.. Roosevelt why he
did not act against Mr.. Morton
Mr.. Roosevelt asserted that Mr. Harmon
failed completely to trace the crime of re-
batting to Mr. Morton. Attorney General
Moody reported to him. Mr.. Roosevelt said,
tfat Mr.. Harmon hG0 produced no evidence
whatever to justify his recommendation of
sction against Mr.. Morton. Mr.. Harmon
he said. proposed 10 indict Mr. Morton any
way, apparently on the theory that evil
Gerce might subsequently be found that
would connect Mr. Morton with misconduct,
saying that guilt is personal " Mr.. Roose-
cit Irrar1t On to rho7 Il
tho Attorney Generals opinion, directing
| him to lay all the evidence on which Mr.
Harmon made his recommendation before
| The court.
The case was brought before a Demo-
cratic judge-Judge Phillips" Mr.. Roose-
welt continued, and in his opinion from
the bench he specifically and absolutely
| justified the course of the Attorney Gen
eral, stating that there was no evidence
whatever in the case that In any way i'm
plicated Mr.. Morton"
| Harmon and the c., II. & D.
| Saying that Mr.. Harmon had sought to
discredit an innocent man. Mr. Roosevelt
/ took up the receivershtp of the Cincinnati
! Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, which, he
said, was owned in Wall Street, lit being,
as l am informed. one of the Morgan prop
| critics, and the Morgan people. or which
ever interest it was in Wall Street. applied
to have their friend Mr.. Harmon, made
receiver.
| He received a salary of $4,000 a year"
| Mr.. Roosevelt continued. 1T is shown by
| actual record that while he was receiver
the road under him was engaged continu-
| ously in paying damage claims to certain
parties for the purpose of holding business
under circumstances which clearly indicated
| that the payment of such damages served
| the same purpose as the payment of re-
! bates. 1t has been shown that the road
was in a combination with other roads to
| fix rates, such combination being certainly
| against the spirit and apparently also
| against the letter of the law. The road
! did not pay its taxes to the State of Ohio,
| hitherto escaping several hundred thousand
dollars of such taxes on the plea, among
! others, of insolvency.
Mr.. Harmon became Governor and con-
! tinued this dual position as receiver of the
| road at a salary of So, 900 and Governor ar
a salary OF $1,000. His services to his two
| clients the State of Ohio and the Wall
Street owned railroad, appear to have been
about in proportion to the respective sal
aries they paid him. For eight months he
| continued in this dual position, getting
about $1,000 from the railroad and about
! $1,000 from the state.
| During this time he claims as one of his
reasons for justification that as the railroad
was insolvent it should not pay the taxes
to his officials in his capacity as Governor,
! but II was not too insolyent to pay him his
salary as receiver of the railroad"
| Mr. Roosevelt said Governor Harmon as
| hat OF he
sion of taxes, of the rebating and the COM
bination of the road with other railroads.
Governor and Receiver.
| IF that is so'' he continued, what did
! he mean by accepting the position of re-
ceiver and drawing a salary of $4,000 a
year? If he drew a salary like that it was
his business to make himself thoroughly
acquainted with what the road under him
was doing and especially to see to it that
it did nothing Illegal and that it paid IS
! Just debts 10 the state
Governor Harmon had asserted, Mr..
Roosevelt continued, that he did not want
/ to remain as receiver of the road, but that
| the judge would not allow him to give up
! the work.
! remain as receiver of the road he said,
| mo judge in the land could have forced
! him to remain
Mr. Roosevelt then referred to the publlC
utilities bill defeated in the Ohio Legisla-
/ ture last winter, against which, he said
the Democrats stood almost solidly.
Governor Harmon protested that he
| knew nothing about it. he said, and BY
| his supine attitude and failure TO take q
stand he brought about its defeat" HI
declared that the author of the bill hatt
charged publicly that the Governor knew al
about it, and that he himself had gone owe
| il with the Governor. He asserted that. al
| though the Governor said he agans
petty graft, he had appointed to Office
men who had been proved guilty OF tn,
graft he denounced in others, and had or