The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-08-19
SENATOR ALDR|CH
SCORES BR|sT0W
RHODE ISLAND SENATOR BRANDS
iNsuRcENT AS ARROGANT
FRAUD.
Denies His Company Il Trust, and
Says tariff on Rubber Was Raised
at Behest Of Other Manufacturers
Lays Special Stress on Denial Of
Bristow Charges.

Washington, Aug. Ex-senator Mel
son w. Aldrich, of Rhode Island, enum-
Grating the counts under which he was
indicted by Senator Joseph w. Bris-
tow, Of Kansas, in recent campaign!
speeches dealing with the tariff on
rubber, in letter made public yester-
day, denies the charges in their en-
tirety.
Incidentally he pays his respects in
caustic language to Senator Bristow
and what he terms little group of
men, who entertain opinions similar
to those of the Kansan.
The letter is addressed to William
B. Mckinley, of Illinois, chairman of
the Republican congressional commit
tee, and was sent to the headquarters
of the committee in this city. The ex-
PLANTATION of rubber duties and the de-
NAL of the charges made against him
by Senator Bristow are based upon the
fact that Senator Aldrich was called
upon by a Republican candidate for
congress to furnish the facts connect
ed with the changes in the recent tar
if act.
Answers Bristow.
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 full statement. At the
outset of his long letter the senator
divided the speeches of Mr.. BristOw
into five parts, each of which con-
tanned specific charges. He then dealt
with them in order.
In the first place the senator de-
clared the increase from 80 to IS per
cent on small number of articles Of
manufactured rubber was for the pur-
pose of making the tariff uniform on
kindred articles and facilitating the
labors of the customs officials.
Quotes Tariff Experts.
In that connection he made public a
letter to him from Gen. Thad s. Shar-
retts, member of the New York
board Of general appraisers, asserting
that the change was advisable and had
been agreed to only by the senate and
house committees and by the con-
ferees on the tariff bill at the earnest
solicitations of the tariff experts of
the treasury department.
Laying particular stress upon the
charge made by Mr.. Bristow, the chair
man of the senate finance committee
said that neither he nor any member
of his family ever had any pecuniary
interest as to whether the rates on
manufacture of rubber were 80, IS or
800 per cent, or whether crude rubber
was on the free or dutiable list
Treats Charges Specifically.
Dealing then with charges that the
"Intercontinental Rubber Company, of
which he is director, is trust; that
it advanced the price of crude rubber
and controlled the worlds supply and
that the company had paid enormous
Mr.. Aldrich treated each
at great length.
Without raising any issue, concern
ing the progressive" campaign gener-
ally, Mr.. Aldrich referred to Mr.. Bris-
tow and his immediate associates as
follows:
Former Opponents Able.
I'm the tariff discussion OF other
days, the advocates of the progressive
policy usually have 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 the accuracy of their
statements and some knowledge of the
subject they discussed.
'Now attacks upon Republican
measures are led by men whose polit-
ical existence depends upon their ca
pacity-an to this there seems to be
no limit-for Misrepresentation and
the ignorance of their adherents.
Strangely enough this little group
Of men-very small In number has
to itself the leadership of
the progressives, and its members
pirate about the treatment Of the tariR
as moral question.
SENATOR ALDRicH VISITS
PRESIDENT At BEVERLY
Beverly, Mass, Aug. Ex-senator