The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-30
SAYS TAFT KNEW ALL ABOUT IT.
n oosevelt Reiterates Harvester Case
Was Diseased IN Fell Cabinet.

Roosevelt Reiterates Harvester Case
Was Diseased IN Ful Cabinet.
NORTH ADAMS, Mas. April 2s.-Col
Roosevelt to-day pitted his memory and
his word against President Taft's memory
and word and the oficial records in the
harvester controversy.
Answering President Taft's assertion
that $50 far as my recollection goes
never heard the harvester trust matter
mentioned in any Cabinet meeting that
attended, he hatly reiterated to-day that
the President attended a full Cabinet
meeting that discussed the harvester
affair.
Il clearly remember Mr.. Taft being
part in it, was the Colonel's direct re-
jonder.
Concerning the Roosevelt assertion
that the President took the initiative in
supporting the Roosevelt plan Of delay
ing the suit. Of which President Taft
yesterday declared: Il was out OF the
country and could not have been present
and certainly could not have made a mo-
tion or suggestion in the Cabinet that no
suit he prosecuted until after the in
vestigation." the Colonel reasserted his
original statement in reply and declared:
MIR. Bonaparte has stated in the letter
l have quoted that MIR Taft took the
initiative in approving the course I fol-
lowed. My memory il to the same effect
The Colonel did not get down to specify
dates but declared emphatically that the
harvester afair was repeatedly dis
cussed at length in the Ca binet both before
President Taft went abroad and after he
came back and that Mr.. Taft had full
information as to the action taken and
could not have failed to have. The state
ment follows:
"Of course Mr.. Taft was away. as
every one knows. while was discussing
this matter In personal interviews with
officials Of the Department OF COM
merce and Labor. including the bureau
of corporations. and OF the Department
OF Justice. but before and after he
came back the matter was repeatedly
brought up In the Cabinet and was
discussed at length.
MIR. Bonaparte has stated in the let
ter l have that MIR. Taft took the In
itiative In approving the course I fol-
lowed My memory is to the same ef-
feet. Be that as II may Mr.. Taft had
and could not have failed To have full
Information as To the action taken.
Every matter of this kind involving a
question between two departments was
always threshed out in full Cabinet. mad
this was a full Cabinet.
This was especially true Of questions
Of this particular nature as between the
departments OF Justice and Commerce
and Labor. Messrs. Garfield. Straus.
Ronaparte and Cortelyou have stated
tha, this particular question was dis
meeting. ! clearly remember Mr..
Taft's being present at one such session
and taking part In II.
MIR. Taft has now been President
three years and two mor'hs. and 1t IL
nonsense to say that during that time
he has not had the fullest OPP ortunity
To act on the harvester trust II he so
desired. When ne came back from his
trip abroad went over with him not
only this case. but every other case OF
Importance. such as that Of the Ten
nessec Coal 4 Iron Company. which l
! thought might by any possibility have
"A bearing on the general policy OF the
| Administration.
III he thought the action I took in
the harvester case was In any way
inadequate or reprehensible II was his
duty when he was in my Cabinet to pro-
test. and II was even his duty after he
became President to act at once. The
| action which after years of inacition
he actually took last week must have
been taken in colluslon with the Lori
mer Democratic Senator who introduced
the resolution. and II could only have
been taken with view to the effect
that 1t would have on the Massachu-
setts primary.
This case illustrates We'll the dif-
ference between the attitude Of Mr..
Taft and that OF myself toward big
business and toward every question Of
big business and Of all other business.
acted not from the standpoint of
party or practical advantage and with
the least regard to my own political
fortunes. but on the merits Of the Ques-
tion, and with the sole object of help
ing to reach a satisfactory solution of
business problems in the interests OF
the entire people OF the United States.
Mr.. Taft has treated this harvester
trust question In a way to show that
he subordinates the interest Of tho
people as a whole to the purpose of
securing political advantage for him
self"
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