Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-11

about public opinion If you investi-
gate you will find out who is response
BILE but no court in the world will ever
find out
Frederick Pears, a member of the
Providence city council, appealed to
the committee to vote for an investi
CATION. He submitted copies of the
minutes of meetings at which the
Southern New England Railway pro-
ject was considered.
Norman H. White, chairman of the
Massachusetts, board of efficiency and
railway lines controlled by the New
York. New Haven & Hartford in New
England. He asserted that the system
was a monopoly in violation of the
Sherman law and the prosecution in
stituted during President Roosevelts
administration had been dropped With
out cause by President Taft. Deserib-
ing the growth Of the New Haven, Mr..
White mentioned The name of Henry
w. Taft as one of the directors who
was authorized some time ago to in
vestigate a proposition for the pur-
chase OF New England trolley lines.
E. G. auckland, vice president and
counsel for the New Haven, interrupt
ed to say that Henry w. Taft had
never been a director of the COM
pany.
Mr.. White read from a letter by a
lawyer, whose name he said he did not
care to make known to the newspapers
in which Mr.. Taft was mentioned as
a New York. New Haven & Hartford
director and Attorney General Wick
ersham was credited with being
former member of law firm retain
ed by the railway. The writer asked
whether ii were probable that the at
torney general would care to prose-
cute a former client
Mr.. auckland said the director Taft
on the railway board was Robert W.
Taft of Providence. who was not re-
lated to the President. He could not
say whether Henry w. Taft had evee
been employed in any legal capacit.
by his company.
Members of the committee object
ed to hearsay testimony in which the
Presidents name was mentioned.
Il don't propose to sit here and lis
ten to any more of this unless these
statements are to be supported said
Rep. Pou of North Carolina Il think
we ought to have the man who wrote
this letter here
Later the letter was stricken from
the record by unanimous consent.
Mr.. White read copies of letters
he exchanged with President Taft,
when the suit against the New Haven
with the Boston & Maine merger was
dropped. The President wrote that
the proceedings were abandoned be-
cause there was no reasonable ground
to suppose that a verdict could be Won
in court Replying to a suggestion by
Mr.. White that such things as the ac-
ton of the administration in this case
We're making "Progressives" the Pres
ident said "The trouble with the gem
tlemen who class themselves as Pro-
gressives' is that they do not ascer-
tain all the facts before reaching a
conclusion"
Describing the gigantic proportions
of the New Haven, Mr. White said the
capitalization of the system had
grown until 1t exceeded $3.50 900 000
Not more than half of it's property
consisted Of railroads and 1T is ready
TO go into anything" he added Mr.
White submitted with mass of other
statistics and reports. report by
Louis ID. Rrandeis Of Boston on the
New Haven systems holdings and OPP
erations.
Herbert n. Dawson representing
Worcester, Mass, made a brief state
ment outlining Wofcester's connection
with the Southern New England pro-
iect. He said the road never would
have been allowed to come into the
state or city If convincing assurances
had not been given that it would be
completed and put into operation in
1919