Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01
Senator Borah ScathingIy Re-
plies to Third Party
Leaders Criticism.
REFUSES TO RECONCILE
PAST AND THE PRESENT
idaho Statesman Calls Fiuaucier's
Harvester Trust Shameless
Corporation.


York, head Of the harvester trust and
one-time member Of the firm of J. p.
Morgan & Co.. and at present a leader in
the third party. with hypocrisy and Gym
icism. Senator Borah Of Idaho last night
replied to Mr.. Perkins' letter to himself,
In which Mr.. Perkins criticised the sena-
tors recent address at Columbus. Ohio.
In his letter Mr.. Perkins took exception
to statements made by Senator Borah,
which he interpreted as declarations that
the third party is in favor Of regulating
monopoly; that Mr.. Perkins was in favor
OF monopoly, and that the harvester
trust was a monopoly and had treated
It's competitors. employees and consumers
unfairly He said that Senator Borah
was either ignorant Of the facts or at
tempting to mislead the public
Senator Borah's Reply.
Senator Borah's reply to Mr.. Perkins,
which took the form Of a letter to the
New Yorker. said. In part:
st was not my purpose to misrepresent
you and had not supposed until l re-
ceived your letter that had done so. I
do not deny at all the efficacy Of that
philosophy which permits men to prac-
tice one thing during the greater portion
OF their lives and after gathering AL the
fruits that such q practice may bring
repent But l have always believed that
restitution ought to be to some extent a
characteristic or an accompaniment OF
those death-bed repentances.
Il did not undertake to state tho atti-
tude OF the third party on the question
Of monopoly. In the first place, l do not
know its exact attitude. had heard
upon what seemed to be good authority
that an accident happened to one p.ank
Of its monopoly platform between the
time the platform left the convention hall
and the time it reached the telegraph
office.
II was not sure. therefore. in the face
Of this most unexpected accident, that
this subject. Secondly. I felt that the
voters Of the third party were not in
favor Of monopoly. I therefore chose to
take its most active and prominent lead
Judge somewhat Of the situation by your
views.
Views Of Observer.
But you say you are not in favor OF
monopoly. I feel bound to accept your
statement as to your present state OF
mind. but as you insist that the charge
was false and made maliciously. beg to
state some Of the reasons which seem
to have led to what you regard as an err
roneous conclusion. Appearances are
privilege Of a closer personal acquain-
lance I was obliged to state my views
from what appeared to an observer.
I'm tho first place. your letter answers
itself, very largely. Immediately after
denying that you believe in monopoly you
enter upon a most vigorous defense OF
one Of the most shameless monopolies
we have ever had in this country--the
harvester trust You and I and thou
sands with me simply diner as to what
constitutes q monopoly.
"1ntended as Monopoly"
This combination. which as I under
stand you organized and which was in.
tended to and did sufficiently control this
industry and dominate 1t. and out OF
which you took. as l am informed. be-
lars was a monopoly and intended to be
a monopoly. II am mistaken about the
amount which you took out you will
please advise mo and I will correct the
figures. But IL you did take out that
amount, who paid it7-ultimately the farm
able to make them pay you between five
and seven million dollars for what you
did?-simpiy through tse power OF a cruei
and brutal monopoly. A scheme or plan
by which one man can impose upon a
great multitude Of people of this country
the burden Of a great fortune is mo-
nopoly. You do not think SO. Well, that
is quite natural, for you got the five mil
lions. But II you had been one OF those
who were compelled to pay 1t do you not
think that your altruisdc mind would
have been able to grasp the other side OF
this question?
Another Characteristic.
There was another characteristic OF
this combination which indicated that
It had monopolistic tendencies. to Say
the least-the inhuman way in which
it worked and treated Its employees.
The perfectly repulsive scenes which
those who visited its works were per-
mitted to witness would cause one to
wonder where its chief financial hacker
and most powerful director deposited
his altruistic impulses and his un-
speakable emotions for humanity in
general when he visited his plant. The
state factory investigating committee
Of New York Investigated the condi-
ton Of the employees In this plant, and
I have Its report before me. This IN
ceived only five and seven dollars per
week. The girls did their work by
piecework, and had to work overtime
In order to get enough to keep soul
and body together. The custom OF
working women at night was per-
manent custom. One woman. who had
several children. testified that she
cause of her children. and when asked
how she got her sleep she explained
that she stole a few hours OF rest IN
the morning while her neighbor cared