The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-19
Contains Statement by Bon aparte C0ntradicting
 President Taft
PRESIDENT TAFT
 CALLED FALSIFIER
Roosevelt Leader Minces No Words in Reply to Hilles' Statement.
 Statement Says Taft Helped (
 N Settle the Matter n (

DOfllOnS Ol d lGlltT IIOu former Attorney General Bonaparte. 1T which he says MT. Taft, as Secretary oi War, took part in the cabinet meeting at which 1t was decided to withhold prosecution of the International liar vester company because of the bureal of interpretations investigation, was | issued by Senator Dixon from the Roosevelt national headquarters today The statement took the form of an an. swer to that issued from the White House last night by Charles D. Hilles secretary to the President.
 Nothing more despisable and de. degrading has ever occurred in the his tory of American politics" says the statement, than the attempt of Mir Taft through deliberate. knowing anc sustained falsehood, to misrepresent the facts regarding the case of the Inter. national Harvester company. and tc avoid personal responsibility for non. action in the courts by the government against that company. The statement issued at the White House last night is but piece of the mendacity that has characterized the entire Taft utteranct 
 on this subject.
 Facts" of the Case
 "The facts themselves of which MT Taft Is undeniably aware and which are capable of complete demonstration show:
 T. That Mir. Taft -vas present at the cabinet meeting when the matter was discussed and the final decision reached and that he not only had full knowl- edge of the matter, but took a deciding part in the determination.
 ''2. That the Senate upon being made aware of the situation by Senator Hansbrough, distinctly refused to stop the investigation by the bureau of cor porations and permit the department of Justice to go ahead with its proseeu- tion
 g. That Senator Hansbrohgh, an in veterate opponent of the harvester company. was the first man to be ad- vised of the situation by the Attorney General and that he immediately at tempted to secure action by the Sen ate which would permit the depart ment to begin court proceedings" The statement reviews the investlga- lions of the Harvester company made ic 1906 by B. D. Townsend for the depart n.ent of justice and in 1907 by the burea J of corporations, which was acting under directions of the Hansbrough Senate rese- lution. In the summer of 1907, 1t is stated Attorney General Bonaparte began spe- oial investigation with view to prose- cution He did not learn Gnti August l,.f f1,o f,ff ba of tons; but then suggested that the latter probe be continued.
 Bonaparte's Letter
 Early in January. 1908.'' continues the statement. Attorney General Bonaparte had received sufficient information from the special investigators of the depart ment of justice to lead him to believe that prosecution of the Harvester con- pany should be undertaken. In a recent letter discussing this matter MT. Bona rarte says:
 't'I then told the President that I was prepared to recommend a prosecution According 4 to my recollection. he assert cd. certainly he did not forbid one, but l soon afterwards ascertained from Mir Sm ith, commissioner of corporations. prob ably through an inquiry on my part, that his investigation which I had supposed
  submitted the matter at cabinet meet ing. From refecting good deal on the subject recently. 1 have a rather distinct recollection of the discussion which en- sued.
 I stated the question without express irc a positive opinion either way. Sec rtfarles Straus and Garfield advised against a prosecution substantially on the grounds set out in Mir. Herbert Knox af tp h., President Secretary cortelyou. in very few words. deprecated any important trust persecution at that moment. since the money market was just recovering from tie recent panic.
 Roots Suggestion Secretary Root then suggested that as inc law gave the Senate the right to order such an investigation by the bureau of corporatlons the bureau must be con sidered as a legal agency of the Senate for the purpose of making the investiga- tor and the situation was the same as If Il committee of the Senate were engaged in such an inquiry and requested that "a srit be postponed for a reasonable time this investigation could be complete. in ashich ease he argued. due comty would require sthat the request should be Giartei.
 ,-AJ said in substance that l could not agree with the views expressed by Secre- fs ries Cortelyou Garfield and Strans but thought there was good deal of force in those advised by Secretary Root.
 Taft Was Emphatic
 Secretary Taft then, who had been, l think, examining some papers connected with the matter, expressed 2 very decided opinion that the suit should not be brought until the bureau of corporations had completed it's investigation, and the President then said to mo, You will therefore wait or words to that effect.
 The next day 1 saw at my office Sen ator Hansbrough, who had called ire quently at the department to k-iow why nothing was done about the Harvester trust and explained the situation to him, saying that only the inquiry asked for by his resolution of December l7. 1906 pre- vented immediate action by the depart ment of Justice.'"
 The statement then quotes Senator Hansbr0ugh's remarks in the Senate Janu- ary 2, 1908. after his talk with Attorney General Bonaparte, when he attempted to have the investigation by the bureau of corporations ordered stopped.
 MT. Tonaparte states that it was the day after the cabinet meeting that he saw Mr. Hansbrough," says the statement. MT. Hansbrough acted immediately upon receipt of this information. This fixes the
 
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