Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-29


TO Massachusetts. President Taft is
sued personal statement denying
Col. Rooseyelt's allegations, that. while
secretary of war. at a cabinet meet
ing he approved Mr.. Roosevelts de-
oision not immediately to prosecute
the international Harvester Co.
President Tafts statement says he
never heard the international Haryes-
ter Co. discussed at any cabinet meet
ing and that the records of the war
department will show that he was out
OF the country when the incident re-
ferred TO BY the colonel occurred.
The Presidents Statement
1.-THE following personal statement
of the President was issued from the
White House. this evening:
Mr.. Roosevelt, in his speech at
Worcester. as reported by the public
press. referring to the Harvester Trust
suit. said:
AS a matter of fact Mr.. Taft was
a member of my cabinet, and he cor
daily approved the action taken. and,
indeed, as matter of fact, my mem
DRY is that ne himself made the mo-
ton that there should be no prosecu-
ton of the Harvester Trust pending
the investigation into the trust by the
bureau of corporations
Mr.. Roosevelt's memory is very
much at fault. l am authorized to say
by Mr.. Root and Sec. Wilson, both
of whom were members of the cabi-
net at that time. that they have no
recollection whatever Of ever hearing
the prosecution of the Harvester mat
ter discussed in the cabinet And Mr.
Root is very certain that he never
saw or heard of Mr. Herbert Knox
Smiths letter to Mr.. Roosevelt under
date OF Sept. q, 1907, on the subject
II am able TO say the same thing.
So far as my recollection goes l never
heard the Harvester Trust matter
mentioned in any cabinet meeting
that I attended, and l cannot be mis-
taken in the statement that / never
saw or knew of Mr.. Herbert Knox
Smiths letter of Sept II, to the Presi-
dent until my administration had be-
gun and the time when the question
of the prosecution came up, in 1910 or
1911. And ! never saw or read the
letter until two months ago.
This correspondence shows that the
subject matter of the prosecution of
the International Harvester Co. came
before President Roosevelt, ON Aug.
%, 1907, which is the date OF his let
Ter to Attorney General Bonaparte:
that Mr.. Herbert Knox Smiths let
ter discussing the question and advis-
ing against the suit was dated Sept
Il, 1907. and that Mr. Smiths letter
was forwarded, by direction of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, under date of Sept
"a, to the attorney general with di-
rections to the attorney general to
bring the letter to the President that
week to talk over the matter
The official records show that Presi-
dent Roosevelt left Washington in June
1907, for Oyster Bay and returned from
Oyster Bay to Washington on Sept "a.
that on Sept. 20 he left Washington for
a trip down the Mississippi river. re-
turning TO Washington on Oct. 20, 1901.
and that he remained in Washington
from that time on
The; official records of the war de-
partment show that | left Washington
in June OF the same year and went to
Murray Bay. Canada; that / remained
there until August. when visited Oyster
Bay on Aug. 10, and then went TO Wash
ington on the 14th and left Washington
on Aug. IS for Western trip through
Oklahoma, Missouri, the Yellowstone
Park. Oregon and Washington. reaching
Seattle on Sept. and sailing from Seat
lie for the Philippines on Sept 10. / did
not return to the United States until the
10th Of December, 1907.
Il have letter from Herbert Knox
Smith. commissioner of the bureau of
corporations, written at my request in
which he uses the following language:
ON November I. 1907, which date
fix from my personal diary. I telephoned
MI Perkins at the Presidents order that
the President took the view that the bu-
reau's investigation should come before
the suit
This indicates with certainty the time
when the matter was decided and shows
that If the matter did come before the
cabinet at all 1t must have been after
sept "a, and on or before Nov. T. 1907, a
period when l was out of the country
and could not have been present, and
certainly could not have made a motion
or suggestion in the cabinet that no suit
be prosecuted until after the investga-
ton.
Mr.. Roosevelt asks why suit has not
been brought in this administration
against the Harvester Trust A report
made to me by the attorney general
shows that shortly after the decision by
the supreme court of the Standard Oil
and Tobacco cases the attorney general
was about to begin suit against the In
ternational Harvester Co, when It's rep
resentatives requested an opportunity. in
apparent good faith. to submit a reason
able plan of reorganization or dlssolu-
ton which would meet every just cause
OF complaint. With my approval the at
forney general delayed bringing suit
pending the consideration Of this propo-
sition, and during negotiations which en-
sued looking to the accomplishment OF
such results.
These negotiations were delayed, first
by reason of the time required to make
an examination of the books OF the Har-
vesfer Co.. and second. because o. delay
in completing the report of the examin-
cry due 10 the fact that they were oblig-
ed 10 suspend work on II In order 10 com
piete their work on the Steel trust lnves.
tigation. These negotiations had con