New-York tribune., 1912-04-29
Both Declare the Matter Was
Never Brought Up at the
Meetings of the Official
Family Of the For
mer President.
TAFT OUT OF THE COUNTRY
He Shows Through Commissioner Smith
That He Was in the Philippines
When the Matter Was Decided
Instructed Wickersham to
Bring Suit After Efforts
for Agreement Failed.
From Tho Tribune Bureau.

memory was at fault when he declared
that President Taft, as a member OF ths
Roosevelt Cabinet, approved OF holdlns
I'D the Harvester trust prosecution.
The statement also discloses the fact
that the negotiations relative to the vol
untary dissolution of the Harvester trusc
have failed, and that the Attorney Gem
eral was directed by the President on
April "a to bring suit.
President Taft in his statement says
that he does not remember that the Har-
vester trust was ever discussed at the
Roosevelt Cabinet meeting. In this ne
is supported by Senator Root. then Sec
retary of State, and Secretary Wilson.
The President also presents dates be-
tween which the Harvester trust must
have been discussed by the Cabinet, IL
discussed at all, and says that during
that period he was out of the country,
and could not, therefore, have made a
motion that no suit be prosecuted until
after an investigation by the Bureau OF
Corporations.
President Taft in his statement also
explains frankly the course he has tol-
lowed IN the Harvester trust matter.
which has been the subject of charges
by the Roosevelt supporters.
President Taft's Statement.
President Taft's statement follows.
The following personal statement o'
the President was issued from the White
House this evening:
Mr. Roosevelt In his speech at Worces-
ter. as reported by the public press re-
ferring to the Harvester trust suit. said:
AS a matter of fact, Mr.. Taft was
member of my Cabinet when this
Identical case was fully discussed
before the Cabinet. and he cordially
approved the action taken and. In
deed, as a matter of fact, my MEM
ory Is that he himself made the
motion that there should be no
prosecution of the Harvester trust
pending the investigation into the
trust by the Bureau OF Corporations.
Mr.. Roosevelt's memory is very much
at fault. I am authorized to say by Mr..
Root and Secretary Wilson, both Ct
whom wore members Of tho Cabinet at
that time, that they have no reeollec-
tion whatever Of over hearing tho prose,
eution Of tho Harvester matter dis
cussed in tho Cabinet. And Mr.. Root
is very certain that he never saw or
heard Of Herbert Knox Smiths letter
ten,ber ~. 1907, on the subject.
am able to say the same thing. So
far as my recollection goes. ! mover
heard the Harvester trust matter men.
toned in any Cabinet meeting that 7
attended, and cannot be mistaken IN
the statement that mover saw or knew
Of Herbert Knox Smiths letter of
September 2t to tho President until after
my administration had begun and the
time whom the question Of the prosesu:
tion came up in 1910 or 1911. And
never saw or read tho letter until about
two months ago.
This correspondence shows that the
subject matter of the prosecution of the
International Harvester Company came
before President Roosevelt on August
%. 1907. which Is the date of his letter
to Attorney General Bonaparte. that
Mr.. Herbert Knox Smiths letter dis
cussing the question and advising
AGAINST suit was dated September q.
1907. and that Mr.. Smiths letter was
forwarded by direction of President
Roosevelt under date Of September "a,
to the Attorney General. with direction
TO the Attorney General to bring tho
letter to the President that week TO talk
over the matter
The official records show that Presi-
dent Roosevelt left Washington I'm June.
1907. for oyster Bay. and returned from
oyster Bay To Washington on Septem-
ber "a that on September 29 he left
Washington for trip down the Missis-
sippi River, returning to Washington
on October %. 1907. and that he re-
mained I'm Washington from that
time on.
Was Not in Washington.
The official records Of the War De.
partrnent show that ! left WASHINGTON in
Juno Of tho same year and went to Muir
raw Bay. Canada; that ! remained there
until August. when ! visited Oyster BAY,
inston on the 14th, and left Washington
on August 18 for a Western trio THROUGH
Oklahoma. Missouri. tho Yellowstone
Park. Oregon and Washington, reaching
Seattle on September 8. and Saline
from Seattle for tho Philippines on Sep.
ten,ber 13. I did not return 10 the United
States until December 20. 1907.
have letter from Herbert Knox
Smith, Commissioner OF the Bureau Of
Corporations. written at my request. IN
which he uses the following language:
"On November Z, 1907. which date ]
fix from my personal diary I telephoned
Mr. Perkins at the Presidents order
that the President took the view that
the bureaus, investigation should come
before the suit
This indicates with certainty tho time
whom the matter was decided. and shows
that IL tho matter did come before the
Cabinet at all II must have been after
September ~ and on or before Novem
ber 7, 1907, q period when was out Of
the country and could not have beer
present, and certainly could not have
made a motion or suggestion in the Cab
met that no suit be prosecuted until af-
ter tho Investigation.
Mr.. Roosevelt asks why suit has not
been brought In this administration
against the Harvester trust. A report
made to me by the Attorney General
shows that shortly after the decision by