Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-11-11
LIE DIRECT TO PARKER
Statements Declared "Unquali-
fiedIy and Atrociously False"
Charges Made In Campaign Speeches
FlatIy Denounced by the President
Parker's Lame Reply.

Cnar9eS Maue w Sa"Po's" SPSSS"SS
FIatly Denounced by the President
Parker's Lame Reply.
President Roosevelt Friday night issued
a signed statement to the American peo-
pie in answer to the charges made against
himself and MIR. Cortelyou in public
speeches by Mr.. Parker, the Democratic
candidate for the presidency He said In
part:
Certain slanderous accusations as to
Mr. Cortelyou and myself have been re-
peated time and again by Judge Parker,
the candidate of his party for the office
Of President. He neither has produced
nor can produce and proof OF their truth;
vet he has not withdrawn themi and as
his position gives them wide currency
I speak now lest the silence of self-re-
spect be misunderstood Mr.. Parker's
charges are in effect that the President
of the United States and Mr.. Cortelyou,
formerly Mr.. Cleveland's executive clerk,
then Mr.. McKinley's and my secretary,
then secretary of commerce and labor,
and now chairman of the Republican
National committee, have been in con-
spiracy to blackmail corporations, Mr..
Cortelyou using his knowledge, gained
while he was secretary of the department
of commerce and labor, to extort money
from corporations, and I, the President,
having appointed him for this especial
purpose.
"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 Mr..
Cortelyou are monstrous. II true, they
would brand both of us forever with in
fanny; and 'nasmuch as they are false,
heavy must be the condemnation OF the
man making them. l chose Mr.. Cortel-
you as chairman Of the national COM
mittee after having failed successfully
to persuade Mr. Elihu Root, Mr.. w.
Murray Crane, and Mr.. Cornelius N. Bliss
to accept the position. I chose him with
extreme reluctance, because l could Ill
spare him from the cabinet. But l felt
that he possessed the high integrity
which l demanded in the man who was
manager OF my campaign. / am content
that Mr.. Parker and ! should be judged
by the public on the characters OF the
two men whom we chose to manage our
campaigns: he by the character Of his
nominee, Mr.. Thomas Taggart, and / by
the character Of Mr.. Cortelyou
1.-THE assertion that Mr., Cortelyou had
any knowledge gained while in any OFF,
cial position whereby he was enabled to
secure and did secure any contributions
from any corporation is falsehood. The
assertion that there has been any black
mail, direct or indirect by Mr.. Cortelyou
or by me Is a falsehood The assertion
that there has been made in my behalf
and by my authority by Mr.. Cortelyou
or by any one else any pledge or promise,
or that there has been any understanding
as to future immunties or benefits. in
recognition of any contribution from any
source, is a wicked falsehood.
"If I deemed 1t necessary to support
my fiat denial by any evidence would
ask all men of common sense to ponder
well what has been done in this campaign
by Mr. Cortelyou, and to compare It
with what Mr.. Parker himself did when
he was managing Mr.. Hills campaign
for governor and to compare what has
been done as regards the great corpora
lions and moneyed interests under this
administration with what was done under
the last Democratic administration while
Mr.. Olney was attorney general; I would
ask all honest men whether they seriously
deem 1t possible that the course this
administration has taken in every matter
from the Northern Securities suit to the
settlement OF the anthracite coal strike
Is compatible with any theory OF public
behavior save the theory of doing exact
justice to all men without fear and with
out favoriteism; i would ask all honest
and fair minded men to remember that
| the agents through whom l have worked
are Mr. Knox and Mr.. Moody in the de-
| partment of justice. Mr.. Cortelyou in
| the department of commerce and labor
| and Mr.. Garfield in the bureau OF corpor-
| atoms, and that no such act OF infamy
as Mr.. Parker charges could have been
| done without all these men being parties
| to 1t.
1.-The statements made by Mr.. Parker are
unqualihedly and atrociously false. As
| Mr. Cortelyou has said to me more than
once during this campaign, II elected
shall go into the Presidency unhampered
by any pledge, promise or understanding
| OF any kind, sort or description, save my
promise to the American people, that SC
far as in my power lies shall see to II
that every man has a square deal, no less
| and no more"
Judge Parker, at Brooklyn Saturday
evening made a reply of brief general
tiles to the Presidents statement. He said
the Presidents utterance SIS not an ans
wer, It Is n confession" and that th>
President has not met the issues created
since the platforms were adopted, namely
Can the trusts purchase the election"