Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-29

New York, April Is. George w
Perkins. the New York capitalist, in a
letter tonight, to Rep. William u. Me
Kinley, President Taft's campaign
manager, calls upon the President to
make public the correspondence eX-
changed within the last II mouths be-
tween the White House and officials
| of The International Harvester Co, of
which Mr Perkins is a director lie
cIiticises the publication Of the cor
lrespondcnce OF 1907, and charges re-
garding the Harvester Co, that il was
done 10 strengthen President Taffs
cause ia The Forthcoming Massachu-
sets primaries.
Mr.. Perkins charges that Rep. Nc
| Kinley and other friends Of the Presi-
ldent have endeavored repeatedly TO
place him in the light OF being man
| aeiuated only by sordid, improper
motives He defends his course in
supporting the candidacy of Col
| Roosevelt for the Presidential nomina-
tioa and denies that ]. P Morgan was
secretly behind him in the fight that
| is being made in behalf. of Col. Roose-
welt
President Taft's policy in dealing
with corporations, Mr.: Perkins char
ao terizes as .'farcial.' He asserts that
! because of the farcial results of the
| .Trust-busting program Of the Taft
administration Wall Street knows that
| ii has nothing to fear from Wash
ington.'
| Mr.. Perkins admits that he con-
ltributed money to Col. Roosevelfs
/ &c hot hp al a G
sisted the Taft campaign fund in 1908.
After the election of President Taft,
| he informs Rep. Mckinley, he lent to
George r. Sheldon, treasurer Of the
| Republican National committee, S15,-
0oo to pay obligations incurred during
the campaign. He asserts that this
money had not bee repaid and that he
holds Mr.. Sheldon's note for the
amount.
Mr.. Perkins letter, which contains
about 1900 words, is in part, as fol-
lows
You and your associates have re-
pea tediy tried to place me, as a eiti-
| zen. before my fellow citizens in the
| light ef man actuatcd only by sor-
| did improper motives in what / say
| and do. In every possible way at
| tempts have been made to convince
| the people that / ana against Your
candidate and for Mr.. Roosevelt, be-
c;tuse of my connection with the Steel
| Corporation and the Harvester Go.
| Cannot you see that it is impossible
| for ME to be opposing MIR Taft because
/ Of the fling of the Steel suit or the
| threatened suit against the Harvester
| Gn.2 For if ! were actuated by the
| base motives that YOU impugn To me,
/ would be with YOU. heart and sGul.
! in Your efforts 10 re-neminate Mr..
/ Teft for what more could serdid,
| selfish corporation man want than to
| have his corporation dissolved on pa
| per in such a way as To bring increased
| profits to inside stockholders and in
| creased cost to outside consumers as
in the case of the Standard Oil and
| Tobacco Cos? Because of the fareial
| results of the trust-busting program
/ of the Taft administration, Wall
| Street knows that il has nothing fur
| tler 10 fear from Washington. 1t is
| laughing in its sleeve at what has
| been going on. II is behind MIR. Taft
| almost to a man and no one knows
| this better than you, Senator Crane
| and Mr.. Tafts prominent supporters.
| 'Yop shave persistenty connected
| my, name with the Harvester Co. in
| p;yticuleI in giving out Information
| ~ the effect that | was contributing
| money to the Roosevelt eause--and
| have done this in such way as 10
| try to convey the impression that il
was II very improper and wicked
thing. to be going on-a thing most
| abhorrent to you and your associates,
| and which should be so regarded by
| every decent American citizen apd
| that ;he Roosevelt committee ought
| to 11ey ashamed to have me or my mon
| ey connected with its cause. The iat-
est attempts in this direction have
| been to cali attention To the contrihu-
! ton I made to the New York cam
/ paign prior to- the recent so-ealied
primaries. and also tho publication OF
| the Harvester correspondence, Their
| is y peculiar business about all these
| attacks on ne in view of the follow
ing:
| First NJ. Otto r. Barnard is rec
| ogniacd throughout the country as
| Mr. Tafts warm personal friend and
staunch supporter He is also pres
| dent Of a large trust company in the
very center of the Wall Street dis
trict In 1909 he ran fof mayor OF this
city ON the Republican ticket. ! sup
ported him and personally contrib
| uted more money to his campaign
than did to fhe recent primary fight
| here in New York.
SeconG-Wh Mr.. Stimson. now 4
member of Mr. Taft's cabinet, recent
~ ran for governor of this state,
| supported him with all my might and
main. I personally contributed exact
ly the same amount to his campaign
| that | contributed to the recent So
called primaries in this city. ] sup
ported Mr. Stimson because | believed
| absolutely in the principles being
4 fought for in that campaign.
Third-When Mr.. Taft ran for Pres
iGent, in 1908 | supported him il
every way that ! could. You COM
plain constantly and bitterly because
III am now supporting Mr.. Roosevelt
and am connected with the Harves-
ter Co, and The Steel Corporation
Senator Crane of Massachusetts i:
/ very actively engaged in furtherin9
| AR -Taft'c c1mpaipn and Vet no crit