The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-05-02
COL. ROOSEVELT
CONTRAD|CTS TAFT
Insists Opponent Discussed Har-
vester Trust in Cabinet.
MEMORY CLEAR ON MATTER
Declares Garfield, Strauss, Bonaparte
and Cortelyou Have Stated Cues
ton Talked Over Several Times
in Full Meeting.

Boston, April 30.-Colorel Roosevelt
during his campaign tour of Essex
county issued statement replying to
that made by President Taft in regard
to the harvester trust case, IN when
he fiatly contradicted the president.
The president had stated that so
far as my recollection goes | never
heard the harvester trust matter men
toned in any cabinet meeting that /
attended" Colonel Roosevelt said in
reply, issued in The form of state
ment:
Il clearly remember Mr.. Taft being
present at such discussion and taking
part in it,"
Colonel Roosevet's Statement.
Here is Colonel Roosevelts state
ment:
"Of course Mr.. Taft was away, as
every one knew. while ! was discuss
ing this matter in personal interviews
with officials of the department OF
commerce and labor, including the bu-
reaua of corporations and OF the de-
partment of justice, but both before
and after he came back the matter
was repeatedly brought up in the cab
met and discussed at length. Mr..
Bonaparte has stated. in the letter
have quoted that Mr.. Taft took the ini
tiatiye in approving the course l fol
lowed My memory is to the same eff
ect.
BE this as it may, however, Mr..
Taft had and could not have failed to
have full information as to the action
taken. Every important matter OF this
kind, involving a question between
two departments of the administration,
was always thrashed out in full cab
met, and this was especially true OF
the question of this particular nature
between the department of justice and
the secretary of commerce and labor.
Insists Taft Talked on Harvester.
"Messrs Garfield, Strauss, Bona
parte and Cortelyou have stated that
this particular question was discussed
more than once in full cabinet meet
ing. | clearly remember Mr. Taft be-
ing present at one such discussion and
taking part in it. Moreover, | remem-
! Der that Mr.. Taft has now been presi.
! dent three years and two months, and
| it is nonsense to say that during that
time he has not had the fullest oppor-
tunity to act upon the harvester case
if he so desired. When he came back
from his trip abroad | went over with
| him not only this case, but every 9th
er case of importance such as that of
the Tennessee Coal & Iron company,
which l thought might by any POSSIBLE
ity have any bearing on the general
policy of the administration.
1t Was His Duty to Protest.
IF he thought that the action took
in the harvester case was In any way
inadequate or reprehensible it was
his duty when he was in my cabinet
to protest, and it was even more his
| duty after he became president to act
at once. The action which after three
years of inactiOn he actually took last
week must have been taken in collu-
sion with the Lorimer Democratic SEN
ator who introduced. the resolution,
and could only have been taken with
view to the effect on the Massachu-
sets primaries.
This case illustrates all the differ
! ence between the attitude of Mr.. Taft
and myself toward big business and
indeed towards every species of bust
ness. | handled and always handled
every question of big business and Of
all other business not from the stand
point of party or factional advantage,
and without the least regard to my
own personal fortunes or to the polit-
zeal fortunes of any one else, but on
its merits and with the sole object of
helping reach a satisfactory solution
Of business problems in the interest
of the entire people of the United
States.
"Mr Taft has treated this harvester
trust question In way to show that
he subordinates the interests of the
people as a whole to the purpose of
securing political advantage for him
self"