Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-26
taken fve days before the Ma..achu-

Colonel Roosevelt also said tnat
when the Northern Securities suit was
brought against the Morgan interests
in 1894, he was expecting to run for
president, but that when the harvester
company matter came up In 1907 ne
knew he would not be q candidate the
following year, so that II the action
taken in this case did secure the good
will "of any Of the Morgan interests for
anybody it secured their good will for
Mr.. Taft.
Mr.. Roosevelt spent most of the aft
ernoon in preparing his statement. he
received reports OF President Tafts
criticism Of him in his speech at
Springfield. Mass, but declined to COM
ment upon 1t. saying he would make
his reply in his speeches in ,Massachu-
setts.
In conclusion Mr.. Roosevelt says:
lie me sum up:
a. took precisely the action in the
harvester trust case that I took in all
similar cases.
"2. am entirely responsible for the
action taken, but 1t was taken with the
full approval Of the entire cabinet in
cluding Mr. Taft. who was then a
member Of the cabinet.
"3. There remained at the time less
than year and half Of my admins
tration. During this time, for the rea-
sons given by Mr.. Smith. he was not
able to finish the report ordered by
the senate. During this period. as Mr..
Smith writes me, the only instructions
gave him in regard to the report were
orders intended to facilitate the prep
nration and publication.
-. over three years have elapsed
since Mr.. Taft became president. Dur
ing this entire time the letter OF Mr..
Smith has been in the office Of the at
torney general, and Mr.. Taft can not
have forgotten the debate about it in
the cabinet meeting when he was a
member Of the cabinet and in which he
took part. During these three years
Mr.. Taft could at any time have or
dered the attorney general to proceed
against the ahrevster trust without re-
gard to the report, or have requested
the commissioner of corporations eth
er to hurry up the report or to give the
reasons why 1t was impossible to hurry
it up.
"5. Not only did I not suppress any
papers connected with the case, but I
left every paper on file either in the
department of justice or in the bureau
Of corporations. and II anything wrong
had been done, either in the way OF
omission or commission. the admins
tration had three years and two
months In which to correct the wrong.
"6. Mr.. Taft has been over three
years In the White House. During that
period he has had ample time either to
publish the facts or to take action
against the Harvester trust. He has
taken no action except that now taken.
five days before the Massachusetts pri-
mary.
~. This matter was brought up In
the senate on the motion of Senator
Johnson. who. as a member Of both
has been his earnest surporter and adj
It was passed and responded to give
ground for the belief that the prear-
ranged purpose was to show that for
some improper reason I had favored
the harvester trust and the Morgan
interests. When under my administra-
tior. the Northern Securities suit was
brought against Mr. Mongan, I was ex-
pecting to run, and as matter OF fact
did run, for president In 1904. When
this harvester trust matter came up. 1t
was certain that I was not going to
rum and Mr.. Taft expected to run, and
I expected that he would run In 1908.
The action that I took against Mr..
Morgan was taken when ! personally
was to pay for any consequences re-
sulting from Mr.. Morgan's Ill will. II
the ACTON taken In the harvester trust
did not secure the good Will or that
trust, or any Of the Morgan Interests
for anybody. it secured their good VIII
for Mr.. Taft
"But, az a matter Of fact In neither
ca Sc did consider In any way whether
any support would be gained for or
alienated from either me or Mr.. Taft.
In botr cases and In all other cases OF
the kind. / considered nothing but what
,.,. 5ap,opdad nv right and Justice.