Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-11-05
ISSUES MANIFESTO.
Roosevelt Personally Repudiates Cor.
 telyon Charges.

. V
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 5-President Roosevelt last 4hght made the follow ing signed statement to the American , people in answer to the charges made against him and MT. Cortelyou in pub lie speeches by MT. Parker, the Dem ocratic candidate for the presidency:
 Certain slanderous accusations as to MT. Cortelyou and myself have been repeated time and again by Judge Par ker, the candidate of his party for the < office of president. He neither has produced nor can produce any proof of their truth, yet he has not with drawn them, and as his position gives Y them wide currency I speak now lest the silence of self respect be misun- derstood
 ssMr. Parker's charges are in effect that the president of the United States and MT. Cortelyou, formerly MT. Cleveland's executive clerk, then MT. McKinley's and my secretary, then secretary of commerce and labor and now chairman of the Republican na- tional committee, have been in con- gpiracy to blackmail corporations, Mir Cortelyou using his knowledge gained while he was secretary of the depart r|lent of commerce and labor to extort fnoney from the corporations, and I, fhe president, having appointed him flor this especial purpose.
 'sThe gravamen of these charges lies in the assertion that corporations have been blackmailed into contributing and ! in the implication, which in one or two # nf MT. porIyor.,S arSoooboc hos folrox, the form practically of an assertion, that they have been promised certain fmmunities or fayors or have been as- stired that they would receive some kind of improper consideration in view of their contributions. That contribu- t8ons have been made to the Republic. an committee, as contributions have been made to the Democratic commit tee, is not the question at issue. MT. Parker's assertion is in effect that 9such contributions have been made for Improper motives, either in conse. Quence of improper promises, direct or indirect, on the part of the recipients. gl MT. Parker knows best whether T this is true of the contributions to his campaign fund which have come through his trusted friends and ad- visers who represent the great cor porate interests that stand behind him. But there is not one particle of truth in the statement as regards anything that has gone on in the management of the Republican campaign.
 Mir. Parkers accusations against MF. Cortelyou and me are monstrous. If true, they would brand both of us forever with infamy, and inasmuch as they are false heavy must be the con- demnation of the man making them. I chose Mir. Cortelyou as chairman of the national committee after having fail- ed successively to persuade NIr. Elihu Root, Mr. w. Murray Crane and MT. Cornelius N. Bliss to accept the posi- dion. I chose him with extreme re- lHctance, because could i'll spare him from the cabinet. But felt that he possessed the high integrity which I demanded in the man who was to man. age my campaign. I am content that Nr. Parker and I should be judged by @ e public on the characters of the two
 en whom we chose to manage our
 Ampaigns-he by the character of his
 ominee, MT. Thomas Taggart, and
 by the character of MT. Cortelyou.
 .'The assertion that Mir. Cortelyou bad any knowledge gained while in
 Aly official positions whereby he was.
 labIed to secure and did secure any
 ontributions from any corporation is
 falsehood. The assertion that there
 as been any blackmail, direct or indi
 bct, by MT. Cortelyou or by me is
 llsehood. The assertion that there
 as been made in behalf and by my
 uthority by Air. Cortelyou or by any
 ne else any pledge or promise or that &here has been any understanding as 1o future immunities or benefits. in rec ognition of any contribution from any source is wicked falsehood.
 That Mir. Parker should desire to avoid the discussion of principles can well understand. So far it is but the bare truth to say that he has not att lacked us on any matter of principle or upon any action of the government save after first misstating that princi- pie or that action. But I cannot un- derstand how any honorable man, a candidate for the highest office in the gift of the people, can take refuge not merely in personalities, but in such base and unworthy personalities.
 If deemed it necessary to support my flat denial by any evidence would ask all men of common sense to pom der well what has been done in this canpaign by Mr. CorteIyou and to compare it with what Mir. Parker him. self did Wben he was managing Mr.