The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-24
PLACES BLAME
ON ROOSEVELT
lliIIes Issues Statement on Har-
veSter Trust Probe.

Taft's secretary, Charles ID. Hllles, APP
peared ,unannounced in Washington
and at the White House gave out
statement concerning the delay in the
prosecution of the International Har-
vester company during President
Roosevelt's administration in 1907. 1t
was not known here that Mr.. Hilles
had left President Tafts party in Ohio.
Il have come to Washington to get
United States Attorney TOwnsend's
statement in reference to the har-
vester trust" says the statement
Townsend was, in 1907, one of the at
torneys in the department of justice
and had made an investigation OF
charges against the international
Harvester company.
1T shows conclusiVely," the state
nent continues, that President Roose-
Welt compelled his attorney general
to discontinue the harvester prOsecu-
ton in the fall OF 1907, eighteen
months prior to the coloneis retire
ment from office.
President ROosevelt's term expired
TWO years after the matter had been
placed in the hands OF the prosecuting
officer as the result of an inveStiga-
ton. 1t is quite apparent from the
record that civil and criminal proceed.
ings we're about to begin that about
year and half before President
Roosevelt went out of office George w.
Perkins took hand in matters; and
that in a remarkably short time there
after the whole matter was sup
pressed, stified, strangled or put
through some other process which, by
whatever name you call it, | have no
doubt was quite satisfactory to the
harvester trust. II anybody was re-
sponsible for it besides President
Roosevelt and officials acting under
his Instructions it does not appear
from the record.
"NIr. Townsend began his inquiry in
the spring of 1906. On Feb. q, 1907.
Mr.. Bonaparte transmitted Townsend's
report to United States District At
tcrney Sims at Chicago, instructing
him to take up the matter with view
to the institution of criminal prosecu-
ton against the individuals and corpo-
tations implicated, Mr.. Townsend hav-
inS recommended prosecution.
Delay Caused Complaint.
"Sims wrote that IL the report
proves to be correct ii is my judg.
ment that civil proceedings can be
successfully maintained against the
4, hot n lU
evidence could be secured to convict
the corporation and possibly number
of the individuals concerned. There
was delay, of which Senator Hans
brough complained to President Roose-
welt, and Mr.. Bonaparte wrote to the
senator that the case would receive
immediate attention. An effort was
made on the one hand to proceed with
the prosecutions: on the other hand, to
secure delay through protracted in
yestigation by the bureau of corpora
tons.
In his written statement Townsend
says that In the spring of 1908 he was
abruptly ordered to the Pacific coast
to begin another investigation and
WAS COlllpciltu W ulOp tuC
harvester matter He says:
Attorney General Bonaparte told
me the reason why had not been au-
thoriZed to institute the harvester
trust suits. Shortly after | left Wash
ington, in the spring of 1907, the har-
vester trust people in some way
learned Of my report and asked per-
mission of Attorney General Bona
parte to file a written statement by
way of defense. Mr. Bonaparte con-
sidered this statement not only insufti-
cient. by way OF defense, but as a
direct admission of all the essential
facts. showing IL violation Of the anti
trust law.
Shortly afterWard Mr.. Perkins
called upon Mr.. Bonaparte, in COM
pany with Herbert Knox Smith and
thing Cyrus H. Mccormick. They re-
guested Mr.. Bonaparte to accompany
them on visit to President Roosevelt
for the purpose of persuading the
president to refrain from prosecuting
the harvester trust. Mr.. BOnaparte
refused to do so. upon the ground that
the written statement filed by the har-
Vester trust was in effect a confess
sion of a violation Of the law, and
therefore he (Mr Bonaparte) would
not stultify himself by temporizing
with the subject in any manner.
Thereafter Mr.. Perkins and Mr. Smith
and / think Mr.. Acknowledgement
out and interviewed President Roose-
welt and succeeded in persuading him
not to prosecute the harvester trust,
ard shortly thereafter President
Roosevelt instructed Attorney General
Bonaparte not to take action"