New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-26
Colonel Roosevelt Denies That
He Favored the Trust and
Suppressed Any Re-
port on It.
TELLS OF CABINET ACTION
His Answer to President Taft's
Attack in Springfield, He Says.
Will Be Made IN His
Speeches in Massa-
chusetts To- day,
?. telegraph 70 Tho Triounc.


the charge that he held up the Harvester
trust prosecution in 1907. In long
statement which he gave out on the
porch of his house AT Sycamore Hill he
declared that Senator Johnston. VINO
caused the introduction of the papers
in the Senate yesterday, was on both
committees that investigated Senator
porter and advocate.
The talk bout the suppression Of the
report is nonsense the colonel said.
The circumstances give ground for the
belief that the pre-arrangsd purpose was
10 show that for some improper reason
had favored the Harvester trust and
the Morgan interests.
When under my administration the
Northern Securities suit was brought
against Mr.. Morgan was expecting tc
run, and did run, Tor President in 1909.
When this Harvester matter came up
II was certain that was not going 10
run, and Mr Taft expected 70 run and
I expected that he would run in zoos.
The action which I took against Mr..
Morgan ] took when ! personally was 10
pay for any consequences resulting from
Mr. Morgan's Ill will. II the action
taken in the Harvester matter did Sc
cure the good will Of that trust or of
any Of the Morgan interests for any
body, it secured their good will for Mr.
Taft
Say. Taft Also Has Not Acted.
Mr.. Roosevelt pointed out that Mr..
Taft had been President more than three
Years AM has taNer 10 action against
the harvester trust. except that now
taken five days before the Massachusetts,
primary"
When told that President Taft said al
Springfield to-day that in Roosevelt the
people would be lin danger OF a dictator
who, once he received a third term,
would cling like leech 70 the White
House and never leave It until death re-
moved him." Colonel Roosevelt said
Not word, not a word"
Mr. Roosevelt added that his reply 10
the Presidents attack on him In Spring |
field would be made in the speeches |
which he expected 10 deliver in the same |
state tomorrow.
This morning the colonel said he was
like John Paul Jones. who, when asked
to surrender, exclaimed "Tve not yet
begun TO fight"
His visitors to-day included Norman
Hapgood, Amos Pinchot and Sheriff Law
Of Kings County.
Text Of Roosevelt Statement.
The full text Of Mr.. Roosevelts de-
fence Of his action in the international
Harvester Company case is as follows:
AS regard the Harvester trust matter.
the following statements sent 10 me by
MI. Bonaparte, my Attorney General at the
time. and by Mr.. Herbert Knox Smith, then
and now Commissioner OF Corporations, ex-
plain themselves:
Mr. Bonaparte wrote:
When became Attorney General
found a number OF complaint on file
of these were serious and specific that 1
directed all investigation. appointing B d.
Townsend, then Assistant United States At
torney In one Of the Dakotas, as special
counsel for the subject He worked very
slowly, and while We were awaiting his re-
port l received information from other ,
NudIltTs ana also an elaborate brief and
argument Submitted by Cravath, II ! re-
member right in defence Of the trust, and
made up my mind that q suit ought to be
Instituted tor its dissolution / then learned
from Herbert Knox Smith that he was en-
gagged in an investiga ton Of the affairs Of
the Harvester trust directed by the SEN
ate. under resolution. think; by senator
Hansborough. of either North or South
Dakota. Smith said that the institution of
suit against the trust would put a stop
to his investigation, and reported the
situation of affairs at Cabinet meeting
After a full, but harm Jnous. discussion. It
was decided. think on the advice OF Seer
taries-- and Taft that inasmuch as either
House had right under the law creating
the Bureau of Corporations to direct an
investigation by that bureau, this lnvestiRa- !
ton of Smiths must be considered as one
conducted by the Senate itself. and II would
be appropriate for the Department Of JUS |
ticc 10 await its conclusion before pro-
ceeding with the suit.
You never gave me any instructions OF
any kind about the suit. have an indis-
tirct recollection that you asked me 10 SEQ
somebody who wished TO talk with me
about II or on behalf Of the trust, and think |
II probable this was Cravath, as know he |
gave me his brief and other PAPERS or |
course, YOU had nothing to do with pre- |
venting the institution OF the suit. except !
insofar as you acquiesced in the view taken
by the Cabinet TO the effect that in conse-
quence Of the provisions oe the Bureau Of |
Corporations act delay was demanded by |
comfy toward the Senate"
Smith Reports Perkins's Protest.
Mr Smith writes me in two communica-
tions. IN the first he recites that on /
August q, 1sJ7. he met me at New York: !
where he said that Mr.. Perkins protested |
against any suit (Which he. Mr.. Perkins. |
then understood to be pending) being !
lrougnt against the harvester trust while |
the investigation by the bureau was st!ll |
pending: that on August 26 he called on me |
at oyster Bay and advocated my carrying |
ont the policy of seeing that the bureaus :
investigation was finished before any suit |
was started on the ground that the jnves-
tiPatiou would be far more effective for |
reform than any suit; that the sui: being "A !
.jyil and not criminal proceeding. no statute !
OF limitations applied and consequently |
haste was not essential, and, finally, that |
If tho corporation was u substantial Of /
fender the suit would have vastly more |
chance Of successful prosecution after the |
bureau get through its work. Mr.. Smith !
states that 7 gave him no instructions ex- |
cept TO go and see the Attorney General. |
dav He adds that OF September Fl, he .
wrote me lcng memorandum setting !
forth the facts ana giving his views on the
general subject. ana that on November
he notified Mr.. Perkins verbally In accord
snce With my instructions that the bureaus
Investigation would come fret The letter |
continues:
"Of course. should the matter become one ,
nj nubJic comment generally, this bureau |
cauid he priuna facie criticised for taking |
so long 10 finish the investigation. The rea-
son FOR this has been that congress has I
called for number OF otner reports OF
ersat magnitude and difficulty, such as
those of lumber steel, etc, ard the bureau
had 10 give so much time 10 the prosecution
OF the Standard Oil case that the lnterna-
tional Harvester Company investigation got
sidetracked behind those other ones. we
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