Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-29
COLONEL ISSUES FORMAL STATE.
MENT IN ANSWER TO PRES
IpENT's DENIAL.
TAFT PRESENT AND DISCUSSED
HARVESTER TRUST CASES
Roosevelt Says President is Putting
Personal Ambition Ahead Of Welfare
Of People-Taft Trails Opponent on
Final Campaign Trip in Massachu-
sets and Rensws Attacks.

Boston. April 29.-F'latly contradict
ing President Taft, Colonel Roosevelt
during his campaign tour Of Essex
county today Issued a statement reply
night in regard to the harvester trust"
case.
The president had stated that 80 far
as my recollection goes l never heard
the harvester trust matter mentioned
In any cabinet meetings that l at
tended"
Taft Was Present.
Colonel Roosevelt said in his reply.
issued in the form of a statement writ
ten on the train:
II clearly remember Mr.. Taft being
present at such discussion and taking
part in it." He added that the presi-
dent had treated this matter "in way
to show that he subordinates the in
terests Of the people as whole to the
purpose Of securing political advan-
tage for himself"
RooseveIt's Statement.
Following is Colonel Roosevelt's
statement:
"Of course Mr. Taft was away. as
everyone knew, while 1 was discussing
this matter in personal interviews with
officials Of the department of commerce
and labor including the bureau OF cor
porations and the department Of JUS
tice, but both before and after he came
back the matter was repeatedly brought
up in the cabinet and discussed at
length. Mr.. Bonaparte has stated in
the letter I have quoted that Mr.. Taft
tok the initiative in approving the
course I followed. My memory is to
the same effect.
BE this as it may, however. Mr..
Taft had and could not have failed to
have full information as to the action
taken. Every important matter Of this
kind involving a question between two
Gepa rtments OF the administration was
always thrashed out In full cabinet,
and this was especially true OF tho
questions of this particular nature be-
tween the department Of justice and
the secretary of commerce and labor.
Three Years Of lnaction.
"Messrs. Garfield, Straus. Bonaparte
and Cortelyou have stated that this
particular question was discussed more
than once In full cabinet meeting.
clearly remember Mr. Taft being pres
ident at one such cabinet meeting. I
clearly remember Mr. Taft being pres
ent at one such discussion and taking
part in it. Moreover. I remember that
Mr.. Taft has now been president three
years and two months and 1t is nom
sense to say that during that time he
has not had the fullest opportunity to
ho hor hn a.
sired.
when he came back from his trip
abroad went over with him not only
this case but every case of Importance,
such as that OF the Tennessee Coal and
Iron Company, which I thought might
by any possibility have any bearing on
the general policy Of the administra-
ton. II he thought that the action I
took in the harvester case was in any
way inadequate or reprehensible it was
his duty when he was in my cabinet 70
protest and 1t was even more his duty
after he became president to act at
once.
Play at Cheap Politics.
"The action which. after three years
OF inaction. he actually took last week
must have been taken In collusion with
the Lorimer- democratic senator who
introduced the resolution and could
only have been taken with a view to
the effect ton the Massachusetts pri-
maries.
This case illustrates all the differ
ence between the attitude of Mr.. Taft
and myself toward big business and In
deed toward every species Of business.
] handled and have always handled
every question of big business and of
all other business not from the stand
point of party or factional advantage
and without the least regard to my
own personal fortunes or to the polit-
ical fortunes Of any one else. but on
its merits and with the sole object OF
helping reach satisfactory solution
of business problems in the interests OF
the entire people OF the United States.
"Mr. Taft has treated this question
in a way to show that he subordinates
the interests Of the people as whole
to the purpose of securing political ad-
vantage for himself"