Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-15
MAKES DIRECT CHARGE THAT
INTERESTS" ARE SEEKING TO
BLOCK LEGISLATION.
ORGANIZED OPPOSITION
TO TRUST PROGRAM
President Mawss Public Copies Of Let.
tsrs and kilograms Sent by Manu-
faetursrs and Jobhsrs Aiming to
Halt Additional lawmaking in In
forests Of Business Congress Stirred


son made the direct charge today that
sentiment in favor Of postponement OF
the administration legislative program
was the result Of campaign by certain
interests, and jntlmated that 1t was
because Of the physiological business
depression" Of which he recently
spoke.
In support Of the presidents view,
copies of the letters and telegrams cir
culated among business men calling
for an adjournment Of congress without
completion Of the trust bills. praying
for the freight rate increase being
asked by the railroads Of the interstate
commerce commission, and calling for
q halt of the attacks on business
were made public at the White House.
To Ignore Pleas.
President Wilson made 1t clear to
his callers that the campaign, If such
1t may be called. would have no effect
on him and that 1t was his plan to push
the trust program thru the senate with
the aid Of all the means at his COM
mand. He expressed the view that
business was as good II not better
than a while ago and that it would be
less harmful to the business of the
country to have the trust legislation
program completed than to be con-
fronted with q period Of uncertainty
which would accompany delay.
The Simmons Incident.
One Of the circular letters which
came into possession Of the White
House was circulated by the Simmons
Hardware Company, Of st. Louis. e.
c. Simmons. head Of the company. had
been selected for a member = Of the
federal reserve board, and his nomina-
ton was to have gone to the senate
today. This morning It was announced
1t tho White House that Mr. Simmons
had declined the place and that Charles
Ham1in, Of Boston, now an assistant
secretary Of the treasury. would be
nominated in his place. White House
officials emphatically denied. however
that the circular letter sent out by the
Simmons company had any connection
with the declination Of Mr. Simmons
Publishers Involved.
Another circular letter made public,
purported to have been sent out by the
Pictorial Review Company of New
York. and signed by W. P. Aknelt as
president. 1t was dated May 1, and un-
closed draft OF a letter which en-
braces the views Of majority Of the
thinking business people Of our section
Of the country and which should be
addressed to the president Of the Unit
ed States, the congress and members
Of the interstate CONNER commission
respectively" The letter concluded:
III you prefer to use copies of the
enclosed letter we will mail you as
many as you can conveniently use. It
will be more effective. however, II you
write them on your own letter heads"
The form letter attached was an ap-
peal for a postponement OF trust legis-
laion and per cent freight rate in
crease for the railroads.
A copy OF night lettergram contain
condensed terms was attached.
Creates Sensation.
Not since President Wilson made his
charge Of IAN insidious lobby IN
Washington to influence tariff legisla-
tion. has there been sensation Of such
a sort in official circles. News of what
the president has said and Of the giving
out Of the circular letters spread quick
ly to the capitol, where 1t became the
subject OF animated discussion In both
houses Of congress-
The letter purporting to have been
sent out by the Simmons company
was dated June 8. which was after Mr
Simmons had been offered q place on
the reserve board. This letter was not
given out for publication with the 9TH
ers.