The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-25

l.
on August %, 1907, said that the colo
mel had had conference with George
w. Perkins about the companys at
fairs and directed Mr.. Bonaparte not
! to file sut then, but to go over the mat
ter with Commissioner Smith and Per-
kins.
A letter from Commissioner Smith
to the colonel on September 81 told of
conferences with Mr.. Perkins and
stated Commissioner Smiths obJec-
tons to prosecution at that time. The
commissioner wrote that he thought
! the question of the company's guilt or
innocence was merely a technical queS-
ton and told of a conference with Mr..
Perkins on August "a.
Commissioner Smith wrote that Mr..
Perkins concluded with great empha-
sis that If after all the endeavOrs of
this company and the other Morgan
interests to uphold the policies of the
administration ana to adopt their
methods of modern publicity. this
company was goin., to be attacked in
a purely technical case, the interests
he represented were going to fight ;"
Further on in the same letter Mr..
Smith wrote:
While the administration has never
hesitated to grapple with any financial
interest no matter how great. when it
is believed that a substantial wrong is
being committed, nevertheless it is a
very practical question whether it is
well to throw away now the great in
fiuence of the sOcalled Morgan inter-
eStS which up to this time have sup
ported the advanced policy of the adj
ministration. both in general princi-
pies and in the application thereof to
their specific interests and to place
them generally in opposition L believe
Mr. Perkins statement that his inter
eStS would necessarily be driven into
active opposition, was a sincere one,
and, in fact, L can hardly see how
those great interests can take any 9TH
er attitude should this prosecution be
ST rfea nd he 11n adn of =, fl
policy be made public
In another portion of the letter. Com
missioner Smith reported Mr.. Perkins
as having said substantially that the
STANDARD Oil people in New York were
giving him the laugh for having thought
he was trying to be good and keep solid
with the administration and that he
was now going to get the same dose
as the others
With the correspondence was a let
ter from William Loeb. Jr., the presi
dents secretary. making an appoint
ment for Mr.. Bonaparte to talk the
business over.
The CoIonel's Letter.
The presidents letter to the attor-
ney general follows:
Oyster Bay, n. Y, Aug. %, 1907.
My Dear Mr. Attorney General
Mr.. George W. Perkins, of the Inter
national Harvester company, has just
called upon me and submitted to me
certain PAPERS OIL WHICH, L CIiClOSC COP7
les. According to these papers and Mr..
Perkins statement, it would appear
that the Harvester company has re-
peatedly on its own initiative asked
that it's business be Investigated by the
department of commerce and labor
through the commissioner of corpora
tons; that three years ago the inter-
state commerce commission decided
that it had accepted what amounted
substantially to rebates; that Mr.
Moody, the then attorney general, was
about to take action on this report
but the Harvester company at once
promised to rectify the practices and
see that nothing contrary to the rul-
ing of the commission was again done.
This was satisfactory to the attorney
general and the suit was dropped.
The Harvester company says it IS
in position to prove that it has lived
up to this agreement, made in May
1904 The Harvester company ad-
Vances this as proof that if any illegal
action is pointed out it will itself rectl-
fv- the matter on it's being pointed out.
1t further appears that last Decem-
Der marlborough got the senate to pass
a resolution directing the department.
of commerce and labor to make an
early investigation into the character
and operation and effect upon interstate
commerce of the International Har-
vester company. and that in January
various representatives of the Har-
vester company in New York and a
was reached that the de-
partment would begin the examination
as speedily as possible, which conclu-
sion was announced publicly in the
press. on March Z, Commissioner Smith
notified the Harvester company that |
the inquiry would be into the incOrpor-
alton value of it's property, securities
and the general management OF its bus
mess. 1t appears by his letter or Aug
ust 8 that Commissioner Smith had
begun the Investigation but has not
made such progress with it as he wouId !
like to on account of his being crowd
ed with work
MIR. Perkins request to me, is that
before the company is exposed to the
certain loss and damage that the mere
institution by Mr.. Smith as required |
by senate resolution should be carried
to completion.
He explicitly states to me that
there would be no intention to plead |
the examination by the department of
commerce and labor as comforting an
immunity from proceedings by the de-
partment of justice. Will you see Mr.
Perkins and Commissioner Smith, go
over the matter in full and report to
me thereon?
please do not file suit until I hear
from you.
sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon Charles ]. Bonaparte, attorney
general, Hotel Aspinwald, Lenox, Mass. |
Qnclosures.)"
Commissioner Smiths Letter.
Commissioner Smith wrote the presi- |
dent that Mr.. Perkins outlined the
position of the Harvester company as
having committed > violation of law
of which it knew, and only wished that
the investigation then under way by
the department of commerce and labor
be continued. The company was will
ing to stand prosecution If found in
violation of any statutes, he said The
si1r,cr.