Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-16

not invaria bly,. represent compromise and
mutual concessions; and no one outside OF
congress can definitely foretell the exact
shape such compromise will ultimately
take
Fears MisquOtntiOR.
should like to discuss the whole situa-
ton with you freely and Informally. But
unfortunately, my experience with com
mittee from your state. Governor Doug
las. which called on me In connection with
tartn matters about a year ago, forbids
ss s T IGg informal and tentstive dsosson
is obviously of benefit only II those join
ing in II recognize as a matter OF honor
able obligation the duty of not attempt
ing to give from memory what must nee
essarly be an imperfect and garbled YER
sion Of what takes place. When the presi-
dent OF the United States definitely and
formally expresses himself for publication
on. question of great national Importance,
what he says should not be left to the i'm
perfection OF memory, often cOlored by
interest. but should be put beyond the
possibility of Misunderstanding by careful
preparation and committal to writing. To
try to repeat from memory what the pres
ident has said when a year has elapsed
is TO show entire indifference to accuracy.
ciseiy what Mr.. whitney did in the Masssa-
chusetts campaign that has just closed.
He pretended to quote what had said
during the course of the long and informal
interview with his committee a year be-
fore, no notes of the conversation having
been taken at the time. Not only did he
pressing almost all that l had said and
by giving what purported to be my words
entirely apart from its context he abso-
lutely, and, as l am constrained to be-
lieve. deliberately misrepresented what oc-
CURED, and he knew well that It was i'm
possible for the president of the United
States to enter into "A personal discussion
about the matter with him.
After this experience l cannot enter into
any discussion with you on the merits
of your proposal and must content my
| self with saying that II shall receive my
| most earnest, attentive and respectful con-
sideration.
whitney Makes Statement.
| BOSTON, Mass, Nov. 15.-Henry NJ
Whitney, president of the Boston Chamber
of Commerce and democratic candidate for
| lieutenant governor of Massachusetts in the
| recent elections, issued a statement tonight
in reference to President Roosevelt's re-
marks to the committee of boot, shoe and
| leather manufacturers who visited the
/ White House today. President Roosevelt
| told the committee that he could not dis.
| cuss the question freely and informally
| saying that a year ago Henry NJ. whitney
| called on him with reference to tariff mat.
| ters and later mlsquOted what the pres
dent had said. After reading the Wash
ington dispatch Mr.. Whitney prepared
statement I'm which he denied that he ha:
| wilfully misrepresented the president OF
Intentionally violated any confidence. The
statement follows:
Andrew G.. Webster, j. NJ. w. Hall anC
| l, consisting of a subcommittee of th'
chamber Of commerce committee of 100 OF
! reciprocal trade visited Washington las
winter for a conference with the presiden
| touching especially the matter of the Hay
| Bond treaty l. as chairman of the com
mittee made an argument in favor of tn
treaty and i'm the argument made refer
ence to the advantage of reciprocal treatie
with Canada. We understood the presiden
to express himself as not unfavorable t
the Hay-Bond treaty, but DESTROYS of see
ing and favoring also the fullest possibl
freedom OF trade with Canada. | was no
aware that this was to be regarded i'm tn
! nature of confidential communica tion
| quite the contrary, as we were there, as W
stated, to the president, as "A committee o
| the chamber of commerce committee of 10
sent to consult with the president and t
report the result of that conference to tn
full committee. which was equivalent {
| giving II to the public.
While we may have misunderstood tn
president, do not how we could hav
done so. absolutely deny any ''willful
and Intentional misrepresentation" of tn
presidents attitude and have no recolleC
ton of what he refers to as the 'contex
which was calculated to modify the view
he expressed. The committee above name
! made substantially this report to the flu
committee at the time of our return froI
! Washington, and the presidents attitud,
as we understood it. has been subject &c
, congratulation among our people from tn
! time of our visit to Washington until tn
.
! | did not regard my reference to II in m
campaign as new matter.
/ regret extremely that the presideT
should consider that / have misrepresente
his attitude and especially that lie sfoul
, feel that | have Intentionally done 81
, whish l aver is not true.
: Copies of this statement were sent
Mr.. Hall and Mr.. Webster, who accom-
= panied Mr. Whitney to the White Hous
t Mr.. Whitney requested them to examir
8 the statement carefully and inform NJ
n Whitney II it correspondent with their reco
n lection of the matter. Mr.. Webster reptile
= as follows:
:, l have read your letter regarding the II
. terview with the president last winter.
recollection Of what was said at that tin
l. is substantially as you have written. l d
d not understand that It was a CONFIDENT
, interview.
. Mr.. Hall in his letter said:
l have just received your letter concer
= ing our conversation with the president la
It winter. My recollection agrees with your
n / had no conception that the interview WI
;, considered confidential by anyone.