The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-27
CLEAN BILL GIVEN
BY JAS. R. GARFIELD
He Could Find No Illegal
Practices by Steel
Corporation.
WITNESS FOR DEFENSE
Gives His Sanction to Famous
Merger Which Is Permitted
by Roosevelt.

New York. June 26.-Iamcs y Car
heid appeared as a witness TODAY in
me governments suit to dissolve the
Chited states steel Corporation. and
'eStihcd that the Investigation of the
corporations affairs conducted N, Mn,
when he WAS Commissioners OF Corno
iaroHs under the Roosevelt ad,ninis
Tation. failed To reveal that the steal
corporation ever had violated the Shcr-
man antitrust law.
In tes'ifying for tho first time on
inhtters concerning the steel Corpora
non .hr Garfield said that he had ad-
Nlsed President Roosevelt, 10 sanction
inc plan OF the Tcnncsnee Coal aud
iron deal which had been suggested hv
Judge Gary and Henry G. rrick rs a
means means OF stopping the panic Of 1907
ne witness said that subsequent TO
gave his approval to the acquiring Of
the Tennessee Company by the Steel
Corporation
The witness said:
began my investigation Of the
steel Corporation In tho latter mart ~
!to< mat was preliminary work
and the SPECIFIC inquiry began l4.cr
about 1905 think
Reported 10 Roosevelt
ne steer Corporation never put az;
oosta Gle In our way and furnished
every biz % Information We wan,od =
said Mr. Garfield
DID you ever make q r-ror, 10 Pres
ideNt Rooseveit of the result Of vour
investigation Of tho steel CORPORATION
con- pared 70 Your investigation Of any
1ther corporhitonT' asked Richard V
fense we "e
Yes" .ald Mr. CARRIED "Mv 70
ror's 10 the President said that / never
tound In The steel Corporation any CON
oInons regarding rebates and unfair
n ~.
o, N. STANDARD OIL Company"
Mr. lindahurv wanted 10 know abou,
Mr. Garield's knowledge ~ the Ten.
nessee Coal and Iron deal
Fresiden' Roosevelt asked me Il I
kn"" Of any reason why no should
rot take action he nnally did and !
toid him did not Tho President asked
IN" II the bureau had discovered any
point In It's Investigation Of tho S,o.l
corporation which might bring about
report 10 M Department ~ Justice
asking FOR = prosecution. and told
f''1 mere was 40 such point"
on cross examination by Judge
l'icHinson. MIR GARFIELD said tia, dur
Ing his inquiry he never examined a
witness under oath although h had tho
ieEaI right. that he had never examined
the minutes OF tho corporation or any
witness outside OF the corporation
The Witness went on to explain tina,
the investigation he made ON the re
bate question Was along inc same line
that mad" %: the standard oil Com
many wh"re he aid iind robating Brr
th'r" was non. of this business in the
steel Corporation. n. reiterated
TI"ip for Defense.
George Gordon Crawford. who he
ca.ne president ~ I'll. Tennessee Coal
and Iron Company shortly after that
concern was acquired by III. United
states steel coz poration. helped the de-
tcrse considerably when he declared
that part OF the rails purchased by
tho Hartman system from the Ten
nessee company in 1907 We're found
defective and were returned 10 tho
seller The government petition in this
case SAYS in part concerning the Ton
nessee deal.
In leo7 4 sensation was created IN
the steel raj 'narnet by Z II Harri
man. VINO controlled a large railroad
mileage. ora ring from the Tennessee
com pnuy 1880 tons OF open hearth
steel rails, At 81 more per ton than
the price Of Bessemer rails This a.,
once put that company into position
OF an actual competitor Of the corpor
alton. ana of a possible competitor
that could not be- ignored. OF great
potent!ality"
Mr. crawford's testimony. accord
inCly. tended TO show that the Tcnnes-
sc company couldu, have been vcr,.
much % competition OF the steel
Corporation when portion OF its
first big orde- was refused as detec-
Tive Gnlircctly the evidence also
tended 70 substaitistc the contention
OF the steel Corporation that tho
Tennessee company was taken over
70 save Moore and Schley. and thus
staVr of a more disastrous panic IN
1900 ana rcfuJcd the government al
legation tina; the corporation took adj
vantage ii the panic TO acquire a da n
gerous competitor
IN 1905. only a year after the steel