The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-07
Attorney General Nc
Reynolds Is Taken
to Task.
PLANS
NOT YET APPROVED
His Course in Making Public
Proposed Further Procedure
Against Tobacco and Oil
Trusts Has Caused Further
Straining of Official Re-
lations With His Chief.
Especial to The rime.-Dispatch !

Washington, June Cen
eral McReynolds's course in publicly
discussing his plans as to further pro-
ceoure against the tobacco company
and oil trust has displeased the Presi-
dent. To-day Mr.. Wilson summoned
the Cabinet officer to the White House
some time before the regular Cabinet
meeting. and emphasized to the Attor-
ney-General his displeasure over the
fact that publicity had been given to
plans that had not yet been submitted
to him.
1t is true that the President knew
OF the progressive excise tax plan of
the Attorney-General. but the intro
auction OF the resolution by Senator
Hitchcock came as a distinct surprise
to him.
The disturbances following the an
nouncements OF the Attorney-General
coming with the unrest caused by
the discussion OF tariff legislation.
have given the President some uneasi-
ness and have not served to make any
closer the relations between Mr.. Wilson
and the Attorney General. which. it
was reported some days ago. were be-
coming strained. There was a revival
of the rumor to-day that Mr.. Mercy
noids may find 1t convenient to with
draw from the official family of the
President
Statement From White House.
In view of the widespread idea that
the Attorney-Generars proposal was
the expression of a new policy on the
par; of the Wilson administration to
correct trust evils, White House Off :
cial tonight disclaimed that any gen
era1 policy had been discussed or
adopted. After President Wilson and
the Attorney had discussed the
numerous reports that had gone forth
as to the governments alleged inten-
tion to strike a blow at the tobacco
trust, White House officials decided to
explain just what had taken place in
administration councils on the tobacco
industry
The proposal of the Attorney Gen
eral was described as IA suggestion"
offered for discussion and bearing
neither the approval nor disapproval
of the administration, when broached
TO the Senate Finance Committee for
consideration as an amendment to the
tariff bill.
The White House version of the in
cfdents OF the last two days was given
with the knowledge of the Attorney
General. 1t called attention. first, to
the fact that Mr.. McReynolds proposed
identically the same scheme when the
Aidrich- Payne tariff law was under dis
cussion, and pointing TO the introduc-
tion al about the same time of a bill
by Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska,
embodying similar ideas. The intro
duction by Mr.. Hitchcock of practi-
cally the same measure yesterday was
explained as having no connection with
the suggestions made by the Attorney
General to the Cabinet on Tuesday
The Attorney-General, according to
White House officials, was convinced
by number of prominent independent
tobacco manufacturers who saw him
recently that their condition in COM
petition with the so-called tobacco
trust was steadily growing more hope
less because the decree ordering the
dissolution of the trust had not
brought genuine competition. These
manufacturers told Mr.. McReynolds
that unless some remedy could be de-
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