The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-25
Threat of PerkinsProve
Effective With
Roosevelt.
FOUND QUESTION
VERY PRACTICAL
Senate Gets Confidential Core.
spondence About Proposed
Suit Against Harvester Trust,
Which Shows Influence
Money King Welded
Over Colonel.

Washington. April 2i-The conf
Dental correspondence which passed
between President Roosevelt, Attor-
ney-General Bonapartc ana Commits
sioner Herbert Knox Smith. OF tho
Bureau Of Corporations. IN 1907 about
government antitruft suit against
the international Harvester Company
was sent to the Senate to-day from
the files of the Department of justice.
Ono letter from Colonel Roosevelt
TO Mr. Bonapar,e. written at Oyster
Bay on August 81, l90-, said that tho
Colonel had had "a conference with
George w. Perkins about the com
panys affairs. and directed Mr. Bona
parte not to file the suit then but TO
go over the matte. with Commissioner
Smith and Mr.. Perkins
A letter from Commissioner Smith
TO the Colonel on September II told
or conferences with Mr. Perkins and
stated Commissioner Smiths objec-
lions TO prosecution at that time.
The commissioner wrote that he
thought the question OF the company's
quit or Innocence was merely a tech
meal question. and told Of Il confer
ference with Mr. Perkins on August
"a.
Commissioner Smith wrote that Mr
Perkins concluded with grea, en-
phasis that II. after all the enGcavors
OF this company and the other Nor
gan interests to uphold the no!Icies
OF the administration and 10 adopt
tneir methods of modern publicity.
this company was now going to be
attacked In purely technical case.
the interests he represented were go.
!as 10 fight"
Further on in the same letter MI
Smith wrote:
Will" the administration has never
hesitatcG TO graphic with any financial
Interest no matter how crest when
II is believed that substa- tial
wrong Is being committed. neverthe-
Tess X is very practical question
whether It is we'll 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 the applica.
ton thereof to their specific interests
and 10 place them generally In OBJ
position. believe Mr.. Perkins state
ment that his interest would rtces
sarily be driven into active opposl-
ton. was sincere one. and in fact
! can hardly see how those great in
terests can take any other attitude
should this prosecution be started and
tie hnal adoption OF this policy be
made public"
In another portion o. the letter
Commissioner Smith reported Mt Per-
k,is as having said substantially that
the STANDARD Oil people in New York
were giving him the laugh for having
thought lie was trying 10 he good
and keep solid with the administra-
ton. and that he was now going to
get the same dose n the others"
with the correspondents was let
ter from William Loeb. Jr.. the Presl-
dents secretary, making an appoint
ment for Mr. Bonaparte TO talk the
business over.
The Colonies Letter.
The Presidents letter 10 the Attor
ney-General follows:
oyster Bay. y Y, August %. 1907.
my Dear Mr. Attorney General:
mfr. George w. Perkins. OF the In.
tcrnational Harvester Company. has
5ust called upon ma and submitted Ia
NE certain papers, OF which sncIose
copies According to these PAPERS ana
Mr.. Perkins's statement II would an
pear that the Harvester COMPANY has
repeatedly. on its own initiative. asked
that its business he investigated by
the Department of Commerce and
Labor. through the Commissioned Of
Corporations; that three years ago the
Interstate Commerce Commission DO
c!ded that II had accented win,
amounted suhstantially to rebates: TIA.
Mr.. Moody the then Attorney General
was about to take action on this re
port. but the Harvester Comoany nom
fsed to rectify the practices and 500
that nothing contrary To tn, ru,ing
OF the commission was again done.
This was sent TO the Attorney General
and the suit was droppad
THE Harvester Company saws n is
In position to prove that /; has lived
Mp TO this agreement made In NM
1904. Tho Harvester COMPANY adj
vancss this as proof that II any H.
legal action Is pointed out. II will itself
rectify the matter on its being po,nte1
out.
ut further appears that last Decon-
Der Senator Ifansbrough got the Senate
TO pass n resolution directing tho Dr.
partment of Commerce and Labor to
make an carly investigation into the
character and operation and effe,t
upon interstat, commerce.. of the Inter
national Harvester Company. and tina.
in last January Messrs Garfield and
Smith met various representatives cf
Harvester Company in New York, and
conclusion was reached that the a.
partment would begin the examination
MS speedily possible which conclu-
sion was announced publicly to the
press.
"Mr Perkins's request to M. Is that
before tho company is exposed to the
certain loss and damage that the mere
Institution OF suit would entail. this
investigation by Mr. Smith. as r..
nuested by Senate resolutions, should
he carried to completion. He cxplic-
lily states to me that there would be
no intention to plead the examination
by the Department OF Commerce and
;, Labor as comforting any immunity
To- nIt,,aI -. u,LI.. I,---S-------