Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-02
SAYSHE WAS OUT OF COUNTRY
Never Heard the Harvester Trust
Discussed and Never Made
Motion to Abandon
Prosecution.

not to prosecute Immediately the Inter-
national Harvester company.
President Tafts statement says he
never heard the International Harvester
company discussed at any cabinet meet
ing, and that the records of the war de-
partment will show that ne was out of
the country when the incident referred
to by the colonel occurred.
President Taft's statement was issued
as follows
The following personal statement Of the
President was issued from the White
House this evening:
mfr Roosevelt in his speech at Wor-
cester, as reported by the public press
referring to the Harvester trust suit,
said:
" AS a matter Of fact Mr.. Taft was
member of my cabinet when this identical
case was fully discussed before the
cabinet. and he cordially approved the
action taken: and, indeed. as a matter
of fact, my memory is that he himself
made the motion that there should be no
prosecution Of the harvester trust pending
the investigation into the trust by the
bureau Of corporations
ROOT AND WILSON AGREE.
MIR. Roosevelt's memory Is very much
at fault. ! am authorized to say by Mr..
Root and Secretary Wilson. both Of whom
were members OF the cabinet at that time.
that they have no recollection whatever
Of ever hearing the prosecution Of the
harvester matter discussed In the cabinet.
And Mr.. Root Is very certain that he
never saw or heard Of Herbert Knox
Smiths letter to Mr. Roosevelt under date
of September 81. 1907 on the subject.
IT am able to say the same thing.
So far az my recollection goes I never
heard the Harvester trust matter
mentioned In any cabinet meeting that
I attended; and I cannot be mistaken
in the statement that l never saw or
knew of Herbert Knox Smiths letter
Of September 81 to the President un-
I'll after my administration had begun
and the time when the question of the
prosecution came up in 1910 or 1911.
And never saw or read the letter
until about two months ago
This correspondence shows that the
subject matter of the prosecution Of
the International Harvester company
came before President Roosevelt on
August 90. 1907. which is the date Of
his letter to Attorney-General Bon
aparte; that Herbert Knox Smiths let
ter discussing the question and advls-
ing against suit was dated Septem-
Der 81, 1907: and that Mr., Smiths let
ter was forwarded. by direction of
President Roosevelt, under date of
September "a to the attorney general
with direction to the attorney general
to bring the letter to the President
that week to talk over the matter
RECORDS SHOW BOTH AWAY.
The official records show that Presi-
dent Roosevelt left WASHINGTON in June,
1907. for Oyster Bay and returned from
Oyster Bay TO Washington on September
"a; that on September - he left Wash.
!ngton for trip down the Mississippi,
river. returning TO Washington on Oeto-
Der %. 1907. and that he remained In
Washington from that time one
THE official records Of the war depart.
ment show that left Washington In
June OF the same year and went TO Muir.
ray Bay Canada; that ! remained there
until August. when visited Oyster Ba,
on August 10 and then went to Wash.
ington on the 18th and left Washington
on August IS for a western trip through
Oklahoma. Missouri. the Yellowston.
Park. Oregon and Washington. reaching
Seattle on September and sailing from
Seattle for the Philippines on Septembe,
10 did not return to the United State,
until the Goth Of December, 1907.
II have letter from Herbert Kno,
Smith. commissioner Of the bureau o.
corporations, written at my request, II
which he uses the following language:
"'On November Z. 1907. which date
fix from my personal diary. I teiephonet
Mr.. Perkins at the Presidents order tina
the President took the view that the bu
reau's investigation should como befor,
the suit
DATES ACCURATELY FIXED.
This indicates with certainty the tim
when the matter was decided, and show
that if the matter did come before tn,
, cabinet at all II must have been ate
, September ~ and on or before Nove,n
Der 7, 1907, period when | was out of tn
2 country and could not have made a mo
ton or suggestion in the cabinet that NJ
suit be prosecuted until after the inyes
tigation.
, Mr.. Roosevelt asks why suit ha
, Hot pceu Drought In TINS admins at ra
4 ton against the Harvester trust
report made to me by the attorney
general shows that shortly after tn
decision by the Supreme Court Of tn
o Standard OIL and tobacco cases. the at
q torney- general was about to beRi,
y suit against the International Haryes
, ter company, when It's representative
q requested an opportunity in apparen
a good faith to submit a reasona BILE pla
A OF reorganization or dissolution. whic
would meet every Just cause of com
plant, Wth my approval. tho attor
. ney-general delayed bringing sui
pending the consideration Of this pro
position, and during negotiation
y which ensued looking to the ac
q complishment of suoh result.
!. REASONS FOR DELAY.
d These negotiations ware delayed, f,rs
l. by reason OF the time required TO MAX
i an examination Of the books OF the Ha,
q vester company. and second. because G
u delay In completing the report OF III
o examiners. due to the fact that they wer
Obliged to suspend work on II IN ord.
Ito pNRpists Ss.E work On the stssl thy.