Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-18
WILSON FIXED IN
!. RESOLVE To PUT
BILLS THR0' SENATE
Says Organized Distribution of
Circular Letters Has Caused
Psychological Depres.
sion" in Business.

Washington. June 15.-President Will
son came out to-day with q fiat declara-
ton that despite what he characterized
as a deliberate campaign by certain in
terests for an adjournment of Congress
and postponement of the administrations
trust legislation program. he would use
every influence at his command to get
the pending bills through the Senate at
this session.
Choosing his words carefully, the Presi-
dent disclosed his belief that organized
distribution of circular letters ana tele-
grams among business men. members of
Congress and other public officials, call
ing for an adjournment OF Congress, a
halt in the trust bills, an increase in
freight rates for the railroads anG a
rest for business" was responsible for
what no recently described az a
psychological depression"
In support of that view, the White
House made public copies OF letters and
kilograms which have been brought in by
friends of the administration. One of the
letters which fell into the hands of
White House officials in that woy ives
| circulated by the Simmons Hardware
company Of ST. LoJs under date OF June
| .. Just prior to that date President Will
son had offered to e. c. Simmons, presl-
dent of that company, a place on the
/ federal reserve board.
CAUSE MILD SENSATION
| To-day. just before the President eX-
! pressed his views on the trust program
it was announced that Mr.. Simmons had
declined the appointment and that
Charles S. Hamlin of Boston would be
nominated IN his stead.
| White House officials emphatically
denied that the Simmons letter had any
thing to do with the declination of the
appointment. 1t was said however, that
the President did not know OF the letter
when he offered Mr. Simmons the place
The Presidents declaration and the
publication of the letters created a mild
sensation approaching that which follow
ed the Presidents denuncation of the
| "insidious lobby" which, he said, was
threatening the tariff bill last year Sena-
tors and representatives discussed the
incident interestedly but no action was
taken.
PROTEST FROM NEW YORK.
one of the letters made public pur-
ported to have been sent out by the
Pictorial Review company of New York
and was signed by w p. Ahnelt, presi-
dent, under date Of MAY |. 1t accom-
panied prepared letter protestine
against trust legislation, praying for a
freight rate increase and suggesting ar
adjournment of Congress, with tn,
! further suggestion that the recipient
mail copies to the President members
of Congress. the interstate commerce com
mission, and other officials in Washing
| ton.
The Simmons letter declared that the
three things which stood in the way OF
prosperity We're the Mexican situation
the awaited advance in freight rates and
continued hostile legislation in Congress
1t said in part:
respectfully do we recommend that nc
further attempt at legislation on the mat
ter of the control of business or pass.
| ing of antitrust laws should be con.
| tinued at .his time. What the country
needs more now than anything else is
quiet time-an absolute rest from the
agitation of politics and assaults upor
| business-t does not make any difference
whether it is big business or little bust
ness"