Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-27
SUIT AGAINST
HARVESTER CO.
HELD UP BY I.R.
Correspondence Between
Roosevelt While President
and Commissioner Smith
Made Public in Senate.
FIGHT THREATENED
BY MORGAN INTEREST

l A~~~~S
Told How Standard Oil
Crowd Was Laughing at
Him; Colonel Will Reply.
Washington, D. c., April 25.-The
confidential correspondence which
passed between President Roosevelt,
Attorney General Bonaparte and Com
missioner Herbert Knox Smith of the
bureau of corporations in 1907 about
a government antitrust suit against
the International Harvester company
was sent to the senate late yesterday
from the files of the department of
Justice. s
| One letter from Col. Roosevelt to
Mr.. Bonaparte, written at Oyster Bay
on Aug %, 1907, said that the colonel
had had conferences with George w.
Perkins about the company's affairs,
and directed Mr.. Bonaparte not to file
the suit then, but to go over the mat
ter with Commissioner Smith and Mr..
Perkins.
A letter from Commissioner Smith
to the colonel on Sept. 81, told of con-
ferences with Mr.. Perkins and stated
Commissioner Smiths objections to a
prosecution at that time. The COM
missioner wrote that he thought the
question of the company's guilt or in
nocence was merely a technical ques-
ton and told of conference with Mr..
Perkins on Aug. "a.
| Commissioner Smith wrote that Mr..
Perkins concluded with great en-
phasis that if after all the endeavors
Of this company and the Morgan In
terests to uphold the policies of the
administration. and to adopt their
methods Of modern publicity, this COM
pany was now going to be attacked in
purely a 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 finan-
cial interest, no matter how great,
when it is believed that a substantial
wrong is being committed, neverthe.
less it is a very practical question
whether it is we'll to throw away now
the great influence of the so-called
time have supported the advanced
policy of the administration, both In
general principles and in the applica-
ton thereof to their specific interest
and to place them generally in opposi.
ton. believe Mr.. Perkins statement
that his interest would necessarily be
driven into an active position was sim
cere one and in fact l can hardly see
how those great interests can take
any attitude should this prosecution
be started and the final adoption OF
this policy be made public"
Standard Oil Laughs.
In another portion Of the letter
Commissioner 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 trying to keep solid with the
administration and that he was now
going to get the same dose as the
Others
With the correspondence was let
tier from William Loeb, Jr., the presi
|dents secretary, making an appoint
Iment for Mr.. Bonaparte to talk the
business over.
The presidents letter to Attorney
George w. Perkins of the Interna
tional Harvester company has just
called upon me and submitted to me
certain papers Of which I enclose
copies. . ;. ;.
in position to prove that 1t has lived
up to its agreement made in May
1904. The Harvester advances this as
a proof that II any illegal action is
pointed out it will itself rectify the
matter on it being pointed out.
"Mr. Perkins request to me is that
before the company is exposed to the
certain loss and damage that the mere
!, institution of suit would. entail
this Investigation by Mr.. Smith as re
auired by senate resolution should be
carried to completion. He explicitly
states to me that there would be nc
intention to plead the examination by
the department of commerce ant
} labor as conforming an immunity from
proceedings by the department o.
Justice. Will you see that Mr.. Perkins
and Commissioner Smith 60 over the
meter in full and report to me-
. thereon?"
"Do Not File Suit"
: please do not file the suit until
hear from you"
/ Commissioner Smith wrote the pres.
, ident that Mr.. Perkins outlined the
position of the harvester company a.
having committed no violation Of Law
of which it knew and only wished tina
the investigation then under way BY
} the department Of commerce and labor
, be continued. The company was willing
~ eto nd nrosecution If found in viola
, ton Of any statutes, he said. The com
, missioner wrote to the president in par
as follows:
.. ITO the extent of my present knowl.
edge, am satisfied that the facts ar
as stated by the company.
: In my interview with Mr.. Perkin!
r he set forth a number Of consideration.
; which seem to me of great weight. H,
, stated his company had endeavored tt
, obey the law in every respect and hat
carefully put itself in line with tn,
policy of the administration; that tn,