New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-18
Perkins Had Information Sixty
Days Before Date When
Roosevelt Says He Laid
the Matter Before
y the Cabinet.
BoNAPARTE WOULD PROSECUTE
But After Interview with Perkins,
Roosevelt Told Him to Take No
Action-Warned That Nor
gan Interests Would
Fight"
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington. May 17.-That Theodore
Roosevelt. as President of the United
States. not only directed his Attorney
General to refrain from prosecuting the
Harvester trust after the Attorney Cen
eral had reported that such prosecution
was proper but that he instructed his
Commissioner Of Corporations, Herbert
Knox Smith, TO advise George ". Per.
kns. Of J. P. Morgan & Co., that he hai
ruled against such prosecution sixty days
before the date when Mr.. Roosevelt him
self says he laid the matter before HI;
Cabinet, when, according TO him, Mr..
Taft approved It, is the most important
point in statement on the subject is
sued tonight by Charles u. Hillcs. Sec
retary to the President
Mr.. Hilles appeared unannounced n
Washington to-day and gave out the
statement at the White House. II was
not known that he had left President
Tafts party in Ohio. He went to join
the President again tonight.
Mr.. HIIes's Statement.
Il have come 10 Washington TO get
United States Attorney Townsend'3
statement in reference 70 the Harvester
trust" says the statement. Townsend
was in 1907 one OF the attorneys in the
Department of Justice. and had made an
investigation OF charges against the In
ternational Harvester Company.
az shows concIusivey," the statement
continues, chat President Roosevelt
compelled his Attorney General to dis.
continue tho Harvester prosecution in
the fall of 1907, eighteen months prior
TO the coloneI's retirement from office.
president Roosevelt's term expired
two years after the matter had been
nlaced in the hands of the prosecuting
officer as the result Of an investigation.
Perkins Takes Hand.
"It is quite apparent from the record
that civil and criminal proceedings were
about to begin; that about year and
half before President Roosevelt went
out Of office George w. Perkins took
hand in matters, and that in a remark
ably short tine thereafter the whole
matter was suppressed, stifled, strangled
or put through some other process
which, by whatever name you call IT, !
have no doubt was quite satisfactory 70
ths Harvester trust. II anybody was
RESPONSIBLE for il besides President
Roosevelt and officials acting directly
under his instructions, il does not ap'
pear from tho record.
Mr.. Townsend began his inquiry III
the spring OF 1906. on February Il,
1907. Mr.. Bonaparte transmitted TOWN.
sends report to United States Attorney
Sims. at Chicago instructing him to take
up the matter with view 10 the IN
stitution Of criminal prosecution against
the individuals and corporations imph-
Gated. Mr.. Townsend having recon-.
mended prosecution.
Bonaparte Promised Action.
.sims wrote that II the report proves
to be correct, it is my judgment thoe
civil nroceedings can be success
fully maintained against the Harvester
trust and that probably evidence couid
be secured TO convict the corporation ana
possibly a number of the indiViuua's
concerned. There was delay, OK WHICH
Senator Hansbrough complained 10
President Roosevelt. and Mr.. Bonaparte
wrote TO the Senator that the case would
receive immediate attention. An erort
was made on the one hand to proceed
with the prosecution; on the other hand
to secure delay through Drotracted In
yestigation by the Bureau OF Corpora
tions.
In his written statement Townseni
says that in the spring OF lSS he was
abruptly ordered to the Pacific Coast u
begin another investigation. ana was
therefore compelled TO drop the Har-
yester matter. He says:
.Attorney General Bonaparte told n.e
tho reason had not been author
ized 10 institute the Harvester trust
SHIFTS. Shortly after l left Washington.
IN the spring Of 1907, the Harvester trust
people in some way learned OF my report
and asked permission of Attorney Gen
eral BOndDdTle W liiS "a "''NNN'
ment by way Of defence. Mr.. Bonaparte
considered this statement (of the Har"
yester trust) not only insufficient by way
,,f defence, but as a direct admission ~
all the essential facts. showing viola.
ton of the antitrust law.
Shortly afterward, Mr.. Perkins ths
organizer Of the Harvester truso called
upon Mr.. Bonaparte. in company with
Herbert Knox Smith and, l think, Cyrus
II Mccormick. They requested Mr..
Ronaparte to accompany them on visit
70 President Roosevelt for the purpose OF
the President to refrain from
the Harvester trust. Mr..
Bonaparte refused to do so, upon the
ground that the written statement fled
nv the Harvester trust was in effect
confession Of a violation Of the law. and