The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-05-01

never neard the international Har-
vester Company discussed at any Cab
liner meeting and that the records of
the war department. will show that
he was out Of the country when the
incident referred to by the Colonel oc-
curred.
President Tafts statement was is
sued as follows:
The following personal statement Of
the President was issued from the
White House this evening:
''Mr Roosevelt. I'm his speech al
Worcester. as reported by the public
press. referring to the Harvester Trust
suit said:
As n matter Of fact. Mr.. Taft
was member Of my Cabinent when
this identical case was fully discussed
before the Cabinet and he cordially
approved the action taken: and. in
deed. as a motter Of fact. my memory
is that he himself made the motion
that there should be no prosecution Of
the Harvester Trust pending the in
vestigation into the trust by the bu-
reau Of corporations.'
"Mr. Roosevelt's memory Is very
much at fault. am authorised to
say by Mr.. Root and Secretary will
son. beth Of whom were members OF
- Cabinet at that time. that they
eo.lsessp6 whA>svsr OF ever
49, xos the Har-
.eefsr matter discussed in the Cabi-
net. And Mr.. Root Is very certain
that he never saw or heard Mr.. Her.
bert Knox Smiths letter to Mr..
Roosevelt under date OF September
n. 1907. on the subject.
II am able to say the same thing.
So far IA my recollection goes.
never heard the Harvester Trust mat
ter mentioned In any Cabinet meet
Ink that / attended: and cannot
be mistaken In the statement that /
never saw or knew Of Mr.. Herbert
Knox Smiths letter Of September 21
10 the President. until after my ad-
ministration had begun and the time
when the question OF the prosecution
came up In 1910 or 1911. And I
never saw or read the letter , II about
two months ago.
This correspondence shows that the
subject matter Of the prosecution of
tho International Harvester company
came before President Roosevelt Au-
gust 22, 1907. which is the date Of
his letter to Attorney General Bona
parte: that Mr.. Herbert Knox Smiths
letter discussing the question and ad-
vising against suit was dated Septem-
Der 2t. 1907: and that Mr. Smiths let
ter was forwarded by direction Of
President Roosevelt under date of
September "a. to the Attorney General
TO bring the letter To the President
that week. to talk over the matter.
The official records show that
President Roosevelt left Washington
in June. 1907. for Oyster Ray. and
returned from Oyster Bay to washins-
ton on September "a: that on Septem-
ber 20 he left Washington for a trip
down TIE Mississippi river. returning
To Washington ON October 90. 1907;
and that he remained I'm Washington
from that time on.
'rhe official records Of the war do
partment show that left Washington
In June of tho same year and went
90 Murray Bay. Canada: that 7 re-
mained there until August. when I
visited Oyster Bay on August 10. and
then went To Washington on August
is FOR n Western trip through Cali
fornia. Missouri. the Yellowstone
Park. Oregon and Washington. reach
ing Seattle on September $ and sail
Ing from Seattle for the Philippines
on September ~. did not return 10
the United states until the goth of
December. 1907.
y have n letter from Herbert Tnoy
Smith. commissioners of the bureau ~
CORPORATIONS. written at my request. i'm
whlrh ne uses tho following language:
'On November Z. 1907. which
date 7 ilN from my personal diary. 7
telephoned Mr.. Perkins NJ The Presi-
dents order that the President took
tho view that the bureaus inrcstiga-
ton should come before the suit