The news & observer., 1905-11-21
You Have Misrepresented
Me, He Tells Whitney.
HEAR ME, is THE PLEA
But the President Refuses to Grant an
Interview to the Man Who He
Declares Has Twisted His
Statements as to Re-
cipr0cily.
(By the Associated Press. }


Boston. Nov. 20.-Henry M. Whit
ney, Democratic candidate for Lieu
tenant Governor at the last election,
tonight made public correspondence
which had been passed between Presi-
dent Roosevelt and himself conCeri-
ing the statements made by the
President during an interview last
winter, which was granted to COM
mittee from Massachusetts on reci-
procal trade relations.
The President informed a Massa-
chusetts committee that Gale ON HIM
last week in favor of free hides that
Mr.. Whitney had deliberately mis-
represented what had occurred ut last
minters conference. With this OK
perience in mind the President de-
clined to enter upon a discussion of
the free hides with the free hidas
committee, the chairman of whicn
was Governor VIM. l.. Douglas. The
statement of Mr.. Whitney during the
recent canvass in Massachusetts that
the President told him he favor eG re-
procity with Canada, was that 60
which the President took exception.
After the President had made pub
lie his address to the hides committee
charging Mr. Whitney with misrepre-
sentation, Mr.. Whitney maintained
that the President had certainly
spoken in favor of reciprocity with
Canada on broad lines during their
interview.
In the correspondence which -
given publicity tonight, Mr.. Whitney
wrote to President Roosevelt that he
had done him great injustice III
charging him with wilful misGepre-
sentation, REQUESTING an interview with
the President and expressed his re
gret that reciprocity did no, nave
the Presidents endorsement.
In his reply President Roos evcE
declares that Mr.. Whitneys letter
furnished additional evidenc. of tna
wisdom of my refusing 10 ccmmlni-
cate further with YOU and asserts
that nothing he has ever said has
given Mr.. Whitney the slightest war
rant in making the statement that
reciprocity was not to have the Fresi-
dents aid. He charges Mr. Whitney
With making other deliberate mis-
statements and closes by refusing to
grant the request for an interview.
The Letters i'm the Case.
Mr.. Whitney in his letter says in
part:
You have done me a great injus
ice, in publicly asserting that | have
wilfuiy misrepresented your attitude
on the question of reciprocity With
Canada, and that this was lone III
cowardly fashion by saying what ]
did under conditions which the dignity
of voUr high office prevented YOU
from denying. / may have misunder-
stood you and hence may have been
led into error. You have charged me
with an offense of which ! am not
guilty; you have condemned me un-
heard | appeal to your sense Of
fairness for a personal hearing.
81 shall regret more than anything
else in connection with this matter
that the righteous cause of reciprocity
with neighboring countries, of SO
much value to our people and to the
whole of the human race, is not to
have the endorsement or your great
name, and the benefit of your potent
aid"
The President in his reply quotes
the last paragraph of Mr.. Whitney's
letter and adds:
Nothing that / have said at any
time has given you the slightest war
rant for making this assertion; ana
when, in the very letter asking for an
interview and denying that you ever
wilfully misrepresented my previous
remarks, you incorporate another de-
liberate misstatement. you can hard
~ wonder that | decline to see YOU
nor would there be in the slightesr
point in such an interview. In your
speeches you pretended to quote from
memory certain statements made In
the course of a long conversation oc-
curing nearly a year previous. You
quoted portions Of what | said-even
as TO these portions, your language
was Inaccurate and all the context was
suppressed. AS a result YOU has COM
DietGlN miSreDrpSented me aS in fhss
sentence Of the presnt liter, which
quot above. II matters little whether
this was due to q deliberate purpose
Of deception. OF TO q lack, in botn
your companions, and yourself, of a
nice sense of propriety and of the
power of exact thinking and of correct
apprehension and repetition of what
was said. In either event ] feel tina.
il would serve no useful purpose
agains to see you or further CORE
spond With YOU