The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-04-25
HALTED SUIT AGAINST
THE HARVESTER COMBINE
Step Followed Conference With
G. w. Perkins, Acting for ].
p. Morgan.
Sensational Private Correspond
ence Made Public in the u.
S. Senate.


The confidential correspondence
which passed between President
Roosevelt. Attorney General Bona
parte and Commissioner Herbert
Knox Smith. OF the Bureau OF Cor
porations, in 1907. about a govern
ment antitrust suit against the In
ternational Harvester Company. was
sent 10 the Senate to day. from the
nles of the Department of Justice.
One letter from Colonel Roosevelt
TO Mr.. Bonaparte. written at Oyster
Bay on August %. 1907. said that the
Colonel had had conferences with
George W. Perkins about the com
pany's affairs. and directed Mr.. Bona
parte not to file the suit then. but to
go over the matter with Commission
er Smith and Mr.. Perkins
A letter from Commissioner Smith
to the Colonel on September 21 told
OF conferences with Mr.. Perkins and
stated that Commissioner Smiths OBJ
tected 10 a prosecution at that time
The commissioner wrote that he
thought the question 6f the company's
guilt or innocence was merely a tech
nical question, and told OF a confer
ence with Mr. Perkins on August "a.
Morgan Interests Objected.
Commissioner Smith wrote that Mr..
Perkins concluded With great en-
phasis that IL after all the endeavors
OF this company and the other Morgan
Interests to uphold the policies of the
administration aHd to adopt their
methods OF modern publicity this com
pany was now going to be attacked
In a purely technical case, the inter
"a N,I
fight
Smith wrote:
While the administration has never
hesitated TO grapple with any finan-
cial interest, no matter how great.
when IL is believed that a substantial
wrong Is being committed. neverthe.
less II Is a very practical question
whether Il Is well to throw away
now the great influence OF the So
called Morgan interests which up to
this time have supported the advanced
policy Of the administration, both in
general principles and In the applica-
ton thereof to their specific interests.
and to place them generally in oppo-
sition. 7 believe Mr.. Perkins state
ment that his interest would necessar-
lily be driven into active opposition.
was a sincere one and in fact. can
hardly see how those great interests
can take any other attitude should
this prosecution be started and the
final adoption Of this policy be made
public"
OIL Octopus Laughed
In another portion OF the letter Com
missioner Smith reported Mr.. Perkins
having TuTT
STANDARD oil people in New York
we're giving him the laugh for having
thought he was trying 20 be good and
keep solid with the administration. and
that be was nov going 20 get the same
dose as the others"
With the corresDondcnce was a let
ter from William Loeb. ia the presi-
dents secretary. making an appoint
ment for Mr.. Boneparte. to talk the
business over.
The. presidents letter 10 the attor-
ney-general follows.
Oyster Bay. y. Y.
April p. 1907.
My Dear Mr.. Attorney General
Mr. George W Perkins. OF the In
ternational Harvester company. has
Just called up on me and submitted 10
me certain papers. ~ which enclose
copies. According 20 these papers and
VT Perkins statement. if sould ap.
pear That the Harvester company mas
repeatedly. IN Ifa own initiative. asked
hat ns business he Investigated by
h~ department ~ commerce ard la.
tor through me commissioner %
corporation that three vears aE0
the intersfafe commerce rommiss on
decided ffaf r bad accepted uhsf
amouufff f1 Huhsfauf.lliT f0 rebates
fhaf NJ Nnrfr. fhe fheu attorney
Genfral sac atolf f0 faks arfI8r nu
ttls rsrrrf tuf ffe Harresf.r rrm-
ferF af ORE Irrr.a .aef fo rerfff me
r-l~firrr alf r ffaf l1.r.na COO
trarl fo ffe ~rUrr ~ trr ro-r. lralor
Cc.-ur--e a- Elsvsuse r.r.b