DECEMBER 11, 1908
The Commoner.
5
The Story of a White House "Denial"
r8L?CiiattdPre8S DisPatches Printed Before and After Election,
. Which Tell Their Own Story and Carry Their Own Moral
BEFORE ELECTION
(Introducing Daniel J. Keefe.)
Akron, Ohio, October 12. At the Akron
meeting tonight Mr. Taft reiterated the points
he had previously made on the labor question
and brought to his support the recently pub
lished letters of Daniel J. Keefe, member of the
executivo council of the American Federation
of Labor and head of the International Long
shoremen organization.
Tho candidate said the testimony of Mr.
Keefe was the more weighty because Mr. Keefe
had ascertained his (Taft's) position on labor
in constant references during the Panama
troubles.
Mr. Keefe closed his endorsement of Mr.
Taft, which the latter read, as follows:
"I shall, support and vote for Mr. Taft, who
was admitted to membership in tho International
Brotherhood of Steam Shovel and Dredgeraen
on account of his strong advocacy of tho en
forcement of the eight hour law on all govern
ment work coming under tho jurisdiction of the
war department. I might say that Mr. Taft
has done more to enforce laws in favor of
organized labor than all his predecessors."
York will como forward with tho chargo thp.t
tho offer was mado and Keefo accepted it and
has commenced to mako good his part of tho
deal."
SHOWING DANIEL J. KEEFE'S MOTIVE
New York, October 13. The democratic
national committee, through John G. Jordan,
assistant and acting chief of the press bureau
at headquarters, tonight made public the fol
lowing statement:
"It waB stated at the national democratic
headquarters tonight that President Roosevelt,
by promise of ofllce, has succeeded In having
one of the big men of the American Federation
of Labor desert President Gompers in his ad
vocacy of the election of Mr. Bryan for tho
presidency. The leader in question is Daniel
J. Keefe of Detroit, president of the Longshore
men's Union, and one of the vice presidents of
the American Federation of Labor. The com
mittee alleges that Keefe and the president were
closeted for several hours Jn Washington on Sat
urday, October 3, and that Keefe Is to be mado
commissioner of immigration, in consideration
of Keefe's repudiating Mr. Gompers and the
executive council of the Federation. .
"Keefe on Saturday last issued a statement
In which he said: 'I am going to vote for
William H. Taft.'
"It is pointed out that on September 28,
last, the executive council of the American Fed
eration of Labor issued a circular calling on
labor organizations to work for the defeat of
Mr. Taft and the republican congressmen seek
ing re-election, and Mr. Keefe authorized his
signature to be attached to it. The sourco of
the democratic committee's information was not
divulged tonight; but the information was offered
that if Mr. Keefe and President Roosevelt deny
the charge another big labor leader now In New
SETS MB. ROOSEVELT TO THINKING
Washington, October 13. Secretary Loeb,
upon being shown tho statement issued from
democratic headquarters in Now York, said
nothing in the nature of a' reply would bo given
out at the White House tonight, but that tho
chargo would probably receive attention tomor
row. Daniel J. Keefo was one of the president's
callers on October 3. Patrick Morissoy of
Cleveland, Ohio, head of tho Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen, also visited the president
during tho same day.
DANIEL J. KEEFE DENIES IT
Detroit, Mich., October 13. President
Daniel J. Keefe of tho International Longshore
men, Marino and Transport Workers' Associa
tion, when informed tonight of tho statement
mado at national democratic headquarters In
New York that he had been promised the posi
tion of commissioner general of Immigration In
return for his advocacy of W. H, Taft, entered
a vigorous denial. After having the statement
read to him Mr. Keefo said:
"I was not closeted with President Roose
velt at all. I did see him on October 3, but
for only four or Ave minutes, and soveral oth
ers were present.'
TIDE CHARGE REITERATED
Now York, October 14. The democratic
national committee Issued a statement tonight
quoting Timothy Healey, president of tho In
ternational Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen,
as authority for tho allegation that Daniel J.
Keefe had been promised by tho president ap
pointment as commissioner general of Immigra
tion in return for the Detroit labor leader's
suppport of Mr. Taft. Tho national committee
had promised to make known its Informant if
the charge was denied, as it has been both by
Keefe and at the White House.
The national committee quotes Mr. Healey
in part as follows:
"I was in Washington on Wednesday of
last week on a matter dealing with our organiza
tion which brought me in contact with an official
of high standing In the government service. Ho
said to me: 'Dan Keefe has been selected for
commissioner general of immigration.'
" 'Is that so?' I asked.
" 'Yes, the job is his,' he replied.
"I asked him how he knew, and he told mo
that his informant was a member of the presi
dent's cabinet and knew what ho was talking
about.
"This information was not given to me in
a confidential manner, but I will not give my
informants namo, for It Is plain to noo what
WOU,!U,mppon to h,m ,f hlH namo camo oat.
There is not any doubt In my mind but
that tho statement that tho president ofTorod
Keefo tho position and that Kcofo agreed to
accont Is truo. Perhaps tho offer was not mado
at this conforonco on Octobor 3, last, but I
bellovo It has boon mado."
ANOTHER STATEMENT FROM KEEFE,
Cleveland, "Ohio, Octobor 14.- Daniel J.
Kcofo, prosldcnt of tho International Longshore
men's Union, and member of the oxecutivo com
mltteo of the Amorlcan Federation of labor, wa
in Cleveland today attending a mooting of the
Lumber Carriers' Association. Mr. Kcofo reltor
ated his statements mado yostorday in regard
to tho allegations that ho was promised tho
commissionerHhlp of immigration as a reward
for his support of Candidato Taft. Mr. Kaofe
said:
"It Is not reasonable to nupposo that tho
republican party, if it was in tho business of
buying up votes, would wasto Its energy and
efforts on life long republicans.
"On October 3 I went to Wellington to
see Mr. Wright, secretory of war, on Homo busi
ness pertaining to my organization. While
there I called upon and paid my rcspocUi to the
president. P. II. Morrlssey, head of tho Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen, and others were
with mo at tho timo. I talkod to the president
in their presonce. No mention was made of
tho Immigration department and tho president
did not ask rao to accept tho position mado va
cant by tho late Frank Sargent.
"I am not and nover have been a candidate
for that position. I do know of two other promi
nent labor men who aro being urged for the
place."
ROOSEVELT AND LOEB DENY IT
Washington, October 14. While no formal
statement was issued from tho White house,
Secretary Loeb today denied that President
Roosevelt promised tho office of commissioner
general of Immigration to Daniel J. Koofo of
Detroit, president of tho International Associa
tion of Longshoremen In consideration of Mr.
Keefe's action in declaring for Mr. Taft In op
position to the pro-Bryan campaign of President
Gompers of tho American Federation of Labor.
Mr. Loeb added that Mr. Keefe in his denial of
the story was absolutely correct.
AFTER THE ELECTION
Washington, December 1. Daniel J. Keefo
of Detroit, Mich., was today appointed coimnta
sioner general ot Immigration to succeed (tic late
Frank P. Sargent. Mr. Keefe is president of
tho International Longshoremen's Union.
MR. ROOSEVELT AND THE EDITORS CLASH
The President Assails Editors of New York Sun and Indianapolis News
For Intimating There is Something Rotten in Panama Canal Affairs
The. Associated Press carried on December
6 .the following dispatches:
Hot Springs, Va., December 6. The fol
lowing correspondence passing between Presi
dent Roosevelt and William Dudley Foulke has
been made public by the latter;
"Hot Springs, Va., November 29, 1908.
The President Sir: The Indianapolis News
not only during the campaign, but even after
Its close, has been repeatedly and continually
making serious charges against your adminis
tration as well as against Mr. Toft in connec
tion with the Panama purchase, as, for example,
the following:
" 'The campaign is over and the people
will have to vote tomorrow without any official
knowledge concerning the Panama deal. It has
been charged the United States bought from
American citizens for $40,000,000 property that
cost those citizens only $12,000,000. Mr. Taft
was secretary of war at the time the negotia
tion was closed. There is no doubt that tho
government paid $40,000,000 for the property.
But who got the money? We are not to know.
The administration and Mr. Taft do not think
it right that tho people should know. Tho
president's brother-in-law is Involved In tho
scandal, but he has nothing to say. The candi
date's brother has been charged with being a
member of the syndicate. He has, it Is true,
denied it, but he refuses to appeal to the evi
dence, all of which is in the possession of the
administration, and wholly inaccessible to out
siders. For weeks this scandal has been be
fore the people. The records are in Washing
ton and they are public records. But the people
are not to see them till after election, if then.'
"Even after the election this abuse has
been continued. It is said that Mr. Taft's
'weakness' in Indiana (where he ran many
thousands ahead of any other republican can
didate) was due in a great measure to this al
leged 'scandal.' What are tho facts in regard
to it? Where are these 'inaccessible record?'
When did they come into the possession of th
government and what do they contain? If th
statements of the News are true our peopl
ought to know It; if not true they ought to
have some just means of estimating what credit
should be given in other matters to a Journal
which thus disseminates falsehoods. Yours, ,
"WILLIAM DUDLEY FOULKE."
THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY
"White House, Washington, December 1;
1908. Dear Mr. Foulke: I have received your
letter of the 29th ult., and have read it in con-
;.
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