Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-03
F0SS' CHARGE ST|RS
Roosevelt and Others Accused
of Violating Election Laws.
GRAND JURY MAY PROBE
Governor of Massachusetts, Says
Campaign Contributions Were H.
legally Solicited.

!
Gov. Foss that certain corporations and
individuals. among them Theodore Roose-
welt. caused to be published for circula-
ton in this state political advertisements
not signed in accordance with the stat
utes of 1908. resulted in the announce
ment by District Attorney Joseph c. Pei
| letter yesterday that he will lay the sub
ject of political advertising before the
grand jury. The district attorney began
his investigation by requesting the treas
urers of the republican and democratic
state committees to submit their books
to him for examination.
Gov. Foss. in a remarkable letter to
the district attorney called attention TO
alleged violations of chapter 4S3 of the
acts of 1908. entitled IAN act to prohibit
the making of political contributions by
business corporations and of chapter
5s1 of the laws of 1907. entitled IAN act
to prohibit the publication of unsigned
political advertisements and the making
by certain corporations of political con-
trbutions.''
Gov Foss alleges that Chairman Cha rles
f. Hatfield and the other officers of the
republican state committee violated the
statutes by appealing to corporations for
financial support. Two circulars to the
Boston Blower Company of Hyde Park
are quoted by Gov. Foss. The governor
also charges that Theodore Roosevelt,
Lyman Abbott and Hamilton w. Mabie,
editors of the Outlook. tine Boston Her
aid. the officers of the United Shoe Ma
chinery Company, the American Wooden
Company. the Farr Alpaca Company and
the Arkwright Club published or caused to
be published for circulation In this state
political advertisements not signed in ac-
cordance with the statutes of 1903. The
advertisements. il is maintained, were
antagonistic to the democratic candidates
i'm the state campaign.
Accuses Senators Crane and Lodge.
Among others whom Gov. Foss wants
the district attorney to call before him
are Henry Cabot Lodge and W. Murray
Crane. United States senators from Mas
sachusetts: Louis A. rockingham and
Robert A. Luce, republican candidates
for governor and lieutenant governor, re-
spectivey.
The governor declares that Lyman Ab-
bolt, editor-i n-chief: Hamilton w. Mabie.
associate editor. and Theodore Roosevelt
contributing editor. of the Outlook, and
Lawrence +. Abbott. president: william
B. Rowland, treasurer, and Karl V. S.
Rowland, secretary, of the Outlook Com
pany. violated the law by publishing in
the edition of the Outlook. copy issued
circulation In the county of Suffolk and
throughout the commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts during the state election of 1911.
an article entitled "A Tariff for-What?"
being a denunciation of democrats and
others who advocate ANY change-of any
kind-no matter how reasonable 1t may
seem-nor how really good 1t sounds.
being the reading of letter under the
Section" and purporting to be an impair
tial decision Of schedule X of the Payne
Aldrich tariff, written by one George b.
Spencer. but being in reality political
cartoon and attacking the democratic can
didates in the Massachusetts state cleo
ton of 1911 and being unsigned and in
other ways wanting in compliance with
the said statute of 1908.
Explanation Of Republicans.
In reference to the charge Of Gov. Foss
that the republican state committee had
violated the law by soliciting campaign
contributions from the Boston Blower
Company the state committee issued an
explanatory statement last night. This
statement. which Is signed by Chairman
Charles f. Hatfield and Secretary John
A. Curtin Of the committee, says, in
part:
1t has been the practice Of the state
committee for many years to solicit mod
crate subscriptions from republicans
throughout the state who believe In and
desire the success OF the party. To this
end a card index has been kept contain
ing the names of about ID 600 republicans.
Upon the passage, in 1907, of the acts
forbidding contributions by candidates
and corporations the card index was
carefully revised and II was believed that
the name of every corporation throughout
the state was removed.
1t appears that the card bearing the
name of the Boston Blower Company was
not removed, and with large a list OF
names it would be strange indeed II some
few unintentional errors did not occur.
The card index was. as usual. placed in
the hands of mailing company and the
letters to which Mr.. Foss refers were
sent out by that company. There was
no actual knowledge on the part of any
officer or member of the republican state
committee of the sending of these letters
TO the Boston Blower Company and no
contribution was received from this con-
Germ In every way the committee has
sought to comply explicitly with the law.
Not a single dollar has been accepted
from any corporation and none will be.
NEW YORK, November 3.-Through his
secretary Mr.. Roosevelt said yesterday he
had no comment to make In reply to the
attack on him by Gov. Foss.