Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-12-10
dis Speech in Senate Sup.
ports Resolution Amending
Constitution
Scored Ex-Pfesident RoOSe-
welt for Withholding Action
Against Trust
(By Associated Press.)

WASElNGIUN, Dec. lV,-Ih
speech yesterday In the senate upoa
his resolution for constitutional
amendment that would provide a
single siX.year presidential term,
Senator Works Of California dent.
fled since his entry into the senate
with the progressive republican fac
ton, made a strong criticism of The
odore Roosevelt and the progressive
party for their afiiIiation with George
w. Perkins and other representatives
OF large corporations.
Senator Works declared that both
Roosevelt and Taft deserved defeat.
He asserted that Roosevelt when
president had withheld action against
the Harvester trust with the natural
result that Mr.. Perkins had been one
of the chief Roosevelt hackers in the
fight this year for the progressive
nomination.; and, with equal empha.
sis he declared that President Taft
had lost the respect and goodwill
of many good people by going upon
the stump against Col. Roosevelt. The
attack upon Roosevelt came in, con-
nection with Senator Works asser-
ton that the presidents office had
been used to prevent adverse action
against corporations.
1--WE are not without evidence of
:he effect of such action on succeed
ing elections said Senator Works.
The great Harvester trust, one of
the worst and most oppressive Of its
kind, was signally favored by Mr..
Roosevelt when president, in this re-
spect. 1t was not prosecuted for vio-
latiOn of the Sherman antitrust law
because Roosevelt ordered otherwise.
What was the natural result?
When Roosevelt again became can
didate, George w. Perkins became his
ardent supporter and chief financial
hacker. Perkins was largely inter
ested l.. the Harvester, trust. Per
kins knew by actual demonstration
that his company would be safe
against just prosecution ii Roosevelt
were elected, unless he should change
his mind. And he would much less
likely change his views if the Har
| vester trust or it's stockholders should
lend him their support.
Il am not saying that Mr.. Roose-
welt acted out Of improper motives in
dealing with the Harvester trust or
the Steel trust. He may have been
! perfectly satisfied that the course
taken by him was the proper and just
course. call attention to these in
| stances of presidential favor and
what followed them, as illustrating
the power that exists in the hands of
a president in his first term, to Sc
cure his election to second term"
| Facts brought out in the senatorial
| investigation Of campaign .eXpeldi-
lures were cited by Senator Works
to show the exent to which trusts
and their millionaire stockholders
had contributed to campaign contrib
utions. He declared that privilege
seeking corporations supports the
public officials who will grant them
privileges
"The investigation OF campaign con-
trlbutions, lately had, has expressed
some of the darkest pages Of the po-
AAeASOI VI IIc COuHCAy, llC WILL
tinued. 1T has revealed the unpleas-
ant fact that the money used for cam
paign purposes, both by republicans
and democrats in past years was sup
piled almost wholly by men interest
ed in the large corporations that were
amenable to punishment under the
ANTITRUST law.
THE new progressive party was
tainted in the very beginning by put
ting itself in the hands of the same
interests. It was managed and fnanc-
ed by promoters, cOrruptionists. and
trust magnates. In all these cases
money was contributed to secure the
election Of q man, who, elected,
would be entrusted with the power OF
determining conclusively whether or
not they should be prosecuted.
mo matter whether it was so un.
derstOod or not, 1T was nothing more
or less than buying immunity from
such persecution. They very natur-
ally reasoned that the man who ac-
cepted their money to secure his cleo
ton would not use the power their
money had given him to punish them
for making that money alnlawfully."
Senator Works referred to the So
called Hartman contribution in the
campaign fund of 1904, a fund which
Hartman said Roosevelt had asked
him to raise but which Col. Roosevelt
had testified was raised on Mr.. Harri-
mans own initiative.
ut is not very material which was
right or which was wrong" said Sen
ator Works. Hartman received his
reward whether the money was rails
ed for that purpose or not Suits by
the government were at that very
time pending against some Of his
cOmpanys and after his contribution
they were dismissed His roads were
otherwise favored by the president
that his money helped to elect
"A single presidential term, Senator
Works declared, would prevent the
use OF patronage and the power Of
Office in the way 1t is now used and
would remove the opportunity a pres.
ident now has to grant favors or IN ]