Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-07-22

mind that If / had | would have reeol-
lecied IT."
The Nelson matter came up when Sen
ator Reed introduced letter, dated Jan.
g, 1863, from Mnlhall TO schwedtman. 81
cent In my card TO Senator Nelson OF
Minnesota, who made the adverse report
az chairman to the Senate upon the
amendment OF the Sherman law" read
the letter. 1.-THE senator came out and
took me 20 his room and gave me COM
piete statement of what took place In the
judiciary committee before they made
their adverse report"
Upon examination. Mulhall said he be-
came acquainted with Senator Nelson al
the time he wrote the first letter.
Senator Nelson's report on this bill
was made three days before your call.
you do not mean to say that you infiu-
enced hIm?" asked Senator Cummins.
mo. sir. not at all. -
Senator Cummins pressed the witness
as to the statement that Senator Nell
son had given him Information about
what occurred before the bill was report
ed adversely Mulhall was certain that
he had got much information then. but
WAS 4a1Ql5 ClcdI vi tHdts diio iotci Sho"-
ed signs of anger.
"You don't expect me to remember
comp1ete "details of conversations like
that which occurred so long ago. he
Il would be very much surprised If
you did" said Senator Cummin's,
dryiy.
Mulhall listened closely to every
wordE Senator Nelson made in his
statement. Senator Nelson reviewed
the history of efforts to amend the
Sherman act and said that he always
had opposed such a proposal, believing
that it was desired by the great in
terests and the trusts. He told of
President Roosevelt's message urging
an amendment to this act and said
that his report had been prepared with
an idea OF forestalling an administra-
ton bill on the subject.
The senator quoted from the opin-
Ion OF the late Justice Harlan of the
supreme court in the Standard OIL
case. showing that he had referred
10 the, Nelson report on the proposed
Sherman law amendment
Aside from Senator Nelson. Mulhal,'s
icitcilS urdfi, totd i1A 6'is "ith VIC.
the National Association OF Manufae-
turers was going to do for Former
Congressman James E. Watson OF III
diana, toward getting him place II
Pres. Taft's cabinet and how the as
sociation began work for a tariff eoas-
mission According TO the letters I"
Mulha1l Schwedtman ard eventually
0 Van Gieayes and others high in the
councils wanted Watson in the post
Of secretary of commerce and labor
after he had been defeated for Cover
nor Of Indiana. In one letter, Mulhaa
wrote: If Mr.. Watson is selected
for the appointment of secretary of
commerce and labor. he will be muen
more powerful in the cabinet of Pres
Taft than he would be in the great
State of Indiana
On Jan. 25, 1908. d. M. Parry one
time president of the association,
wrote to Mulhali:
Il would personally feel just as safe
with Mr. Watson in that job (secre-
tary CT commerce and labor as for Mr.
Van Cleave or my self have that
chair
The letter showed that Mulhal
thought at least Vice President Sher
man. Speaker Cannon and many prom
inent Republicans We're interested il
Watson and that while al first he has
regarded the cabinet job as one which
the President should be allowed TO fiji
as he pleased, he had eventually be
come more or less open candidate
Mr.. Sherman was quoted by Mulhal
as being particularly DESTROYS of help
ing Watson and promised to use lif
influence with Mr. Taft TO get the job
Senator Knox. who became secretar,
Of state under Taft. was to be talked
70 about Watson by manufacturer
and that they were to make ever,
effort to urge the appointment through
committees and through members o
the Senate and House.
All through the day the letters told
Of the interest vi Mulhall In a tariff