The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-10
DEFIES WALL STREET
ROOSEVELT TO BE ELECTED WITHOUT CAMPAIGN FUND.
Objects Defeat to Success of It ahh Objects to Use of Money-Pefers De- feat to Success If It Entails the Distribution of Millions
 of Dollars.
Walt>r Wellman's Washington Special

to Chicago Record Herald
 Where can you get your campaign fund next year? We will not give a cent. We shall probably subscribe literally to the other party Without a big campaign fund how do you expect to win the election?'-Wall Street to Presi- dent R. .osevelt
 T don't want your money. What little we need for our legitimate expenses we shall raise without calling on you. I am glad you are not going to subscribe to our campaign fund. It is high time the use of large sums of money in national cam paigns was brought to an end. If can't be reelected without big campaign fund I prefer to be eaten."-President Roosevelt to Wall Strteet.
 This Is the latest and most interesting development of the political situation Not exactly in the foregoing words (for the words are mine), but in effect these messages have been exchanged. They emphasize the fact that the acute stage of the war between the President and Wall Street Is fast approaching. Since the return of Mir. Roosevelt from his western tour, forty-eight hours ago, two members of the cabinet and another man who Is one of the Presidents closest political advisers and who was at the White House on Saturday. have spoken to your correspondent on this subject. each voluntarily and without suggestion from me The inference as to the source of their inspiration Is too obvious to re- ouire pointing out. Said a member of the cabinet:
 MT. Wellman, you have undoubtedly heard the talk that the Republicans will not be able to raise a large campaign fund next year because the railroads, the banks, the insurance com mics and the big corporations and financiers will not contribute"
 I replied that I had heard a good deal of this talk in New York, and that be- leved 1t to be we'll founded. "Of course it Is well founded replied the secretary. "We are informed that we shall not be able to get money in New York or very much from the sources which have heretofore contributed liber- ally to our funds. At the same time l l think If is a mistake to assume that we shall not get what money we need for proper and legitimate expenses. Not all | of the money in the United States Is In New York or under the control of men who are eager to defeat President Roose- | welt.
 But let ne tell you this" added the | secretary -th great warmth. We re- gard this as one of the best signs of the times. We are not sorry that 1t is going l to be impossible to raise a large fund | The President does not want to be elect ed by means of large campaign fund. We think the time has come when halt | should be called on the use of money | in elections. That sort of thing has le- | come almost national scandal. l Look at the way in which 1t mas
 grown. I can remember when tll1 man agers of the Republican national cam
 pa;gn thought themselves lucky If ucy
 had a total of $750. 600 or S1.OOo110 to spend l oair tbAtt rlNf | they needed a million and . half, a0i
 got 1t. Then 1t was two milli ons two and l a half millions. three millions, and 'n
 lSo6, I have been told, MT. Hl":L dis
 bursed mora than four million dollars in eecting Mckinley and defeating Bryan.
 Not quite sfI much was used ih goo, but l the sum was very large.
 Where is this thing to stop? Is 1: pos
 sible to use so much money wiIhout at | least incurring suspicion that so n of it
 is employed in debauching voters"
 At this juncture I told the secretary of
 a conversation 1 had had recen.y with a well known Republican who p'ayed
 conspicuous part in the prac rc4l 'n1n-
 agement of the 1900 campaign. This iran
 said that in both 1896 and 1900 MT Hanna
 had been able to go into New York. visit the downtown district and get money in
 $50 000 and $1O0O00 chunkSt from corp ora
 tions. banks and big fnanciers. But that
 now not a dollar could be raised ,n that | quarter, and that in his opinion neither
 MT. Hanna nor any other experienced
 campaign manager could be induced to l undertake the task of filling the party | coffers A remark was made about the | great popularity of President Roosevelt
 rendering a large campaign fund unnec- | cssary next year, whereupon this practi
 cal and experienced campaign manager | said:
 "Yes, Roosevelt Is popular. Big crowds
 gather in the streets and about the rail-
 road stations to see and cheer him. But
 when the election comes on, If you want
 to get one of those cheering fellows to
 take off his coat and go out and do some
 work you will find that you will have to
 hire him to do it.
 Commenting on this conversati ton, the
 member of the cabinet said: This Is just
 the trouble. Men have been hired to 1 work until they are unwilling to work | unless they are paid for 1t. Of course, a
 man will not give up his regular employ 1 ment and do work for the party without | pay If he knows he can get paid. That | explains why management of a national | campaign demands so much money in l these later years. It Is time we were re- | forming the system and getting back to the simpler methods of earlier days" | From other and most trustworthy ! sources l learn that President Roosevelt | Is very much in earnest in his wish to go l through next years campaign without a | big lot of money. He talked on this sub l feet to the members of)his cahinat and