The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

(By Charles H. Tavener, special
Washington correspondent OF The
Reporter.) 80,
Washington, May 1S.-When
thieves fall out, just men get their
due, and when republican presidents
and former presidents fall out, the
people learn how they have been mis-
governed.
Since President Taft and former
President Roosevelt entered upon
their wild scramble for delegates to
the next nominating convention, the
people have come into possession OF
the following information, which
they never knew before, except
through unproven charges or un-
verified rumors.
That Mr.. Taft, by his own admis-
sion, has been man OF straw.
That Mr.. Taft, in his advocacy OF
Canadian reciprocity, was not think
ing, primarily, of any benefits that
would come to the American farmer
and wage Garner, but that he bellev-
ed reciprocity would make Canada
an adjunct to the United States,
which would rather transfer her
important business to New York and
Chicago" By his own confession
Mr.. Taft was scheming to aid the
Big Business interests through reel
procity.
That George w. Perkins, organizer
of the harvester trust and member
of the board of directors of the steel
trust, is highly pleased with the
Taft method of prosecuting the
trusts"
That there is close political al
lance between Mr.. Perkins and Mr..
Roosevelt, as evidenced by the fact
that Mr. Perkins contributed $15,-
900 to Mr. Roosevelt's campaign in
the New York primary this spring.
That Mr.. Taft, in the present cam
paign, and Mr.. Roosevelt in his cam
pa;gns, made free and unrestricted
use of federal Office holders to OBJ
tain the nomination.
That Mr. Roosevelt, while constant
ly writing messages and giving out
interviews, while he was president,
all protesting the deepest hatred of
the trusts. secretly and clandestinely
suppressed report showing that the
harvester trust was illegal and in re-
straint of trade, and later ordered a
contemplated suit against that trust
stopped until he gave the word,
which word he never gave.
That Mr. Roosevelt's trip to Africa
was paid for by Andrew Carnegie,
greatest of the beneficiaries of the
steel tariff.
That Mr.. Roosevelt was SO fright
ened by the possibility of tariff agi-
tation during his more than seven
- 1,o
mention of tariff, in any OF his Of
fetal papers or message, except once,
when he wrote into one message
that he would discuss the tariff
later, which statement he withdrew
from the message before it was
transmitted to congress.
If the present scra mble for repub-
lican delegates continues while
longer. it may safely be said, there
fore, that both Mr.. Taft and Mr..
Roosevelt, at the present rate, will
thoroughly demonstrate to the coun-
try that neither one Of them is fit
to be president. Each day of their
present fight for delegates throws
some new light on the close harmony
between them and the big interests
that are behind them. Mr.. Taft,
angered, is telling what he knows
about Roosevelt, and Roosevelt, an
gered, is telling what he knows about
Taft, and they are both telling lot
of things that nobody else ever knew
about either of them.
How He Loves the Farmer.
In his travels about the country
Mr.. Roosevelt never loses an oppor-
tunity to tell farmers of his affec
tionate regard for them. During his
term in the white house a Chicago
newspaper artist drew a picture of a
farmer sitting before a fireplace,
with his shoes off, reading one of the
Roosevelt messages. This picture
was called: Ellis favorite author"
and Mr.. Roosevelt often said it was
the best picture he ever saw.
The harvester trust, which annual
ly takes millions of dollars from the
farmers of this country, sells bind
es in Russia and South America for
500, and the American farmer pays
the trust $120 for the same binder.
While he was president an effort
was started to break up this trust.
and Mr.. Roosevelt secretly suppress
ed that effort He ordered his attor-
the one trust which more than all
others combined robs and plumbers
the farmer.
George w. Perkins, organizer of
this harvester trust, is putting up
the money for Mr.. Roosevelt's pres
ent campaign.
One of Uncle Sans Boot Blacks.
When Congressman Hamlin, of
Missouri, was investigating the state
department he made inquiries about
a certain colored man who was on
the pay roll at $4,000 year, and
whose duties didn't seem to be very
we'll defined. Mr.. Hamlin asked the
department manager what the COL
ored man did to earn his money.
''He doesn't seem to pay much at
tention to our ORDERS" was the re-
ply. "He is detailed to Mr.. Knox's
private Office, and he also works at
the Secretary's residence
"Where is he now" Mr.. Hamlin
asked.
'He is with Mr.. Knox on his trip
to the Panama canal, acting as valet