The Washington times., 1905-12-05
BLISS WAS MAN
BEHIND THE GUNS
Practically Raised Roose-
velt Campaign Fund.
BIG HELP TO CORTELYOU
Interesting Developments in This Con-
nection Expected at Hearing Before
Insurance Investigating Committee.

II Cornelius N. Bliss. treasurer. and
George b. Certelyou. chairman. of the
Republican National Committee. are
called before the New York insurance
investigators or. as is now thought pos
Siole.s are given a chance to tell what
they know about campaign funds before
a Congressional committee there will he
some interesting revelations about the
campaign OF 1904 and some that preced-
cd it,
The true story of Mr. CorteIyou-s Sc
iectiqn as head of, the. national commit
zee mas Just come out, ard il rs re-
It will be relnembered that there was
600 oeal or trouble over the question
OF VINO should be chairman OF the com
llittee. even AFTER IL was assured that
roosevelt would be nominated IL had
Deeh " customary to allow the nominee
10 Eame his chairman but in this case
the antl-hoosevelt element on the com
Hittee was strongly disposed to be un-
peasant and to force a chairman or its
choce on the nominee Even after il
was known the President wanted CorteI-
you there was determined effort TO have
tne selection ignored. Senator Scott OF
W. MsSt virginia. Harry s New. of Indi-
were proposed 49, rv
Cortelyou Was Selected.
But Cortelyou was selected because
the President insisted. He had real.
led for long time that Parker would
De his opponent, and he feared that an
immense campaign fund would be fur
nished by the corporations to elect
IarNer. So he was very anxious 10
nave as head Of his committee a man
VINO would be strong enough with the
corporate interests to divide the funds
hd shd support of these powerful inter-
To this end the President sr:.=.a. s,r
weeks to induce MIR. Bliss to take the
Sialrmanshlp- He refused repeatedly
because Of mis- age and indisposftion to
uhdertaks thes burden. Yet~he- was a
Ihorough-SOlng Roosevelt man. and he
hnaity M 0nered this compromise: That
ne would become treasurer and raise
the funds, provided some man be- Sc
Iected Tor chairman who would work
,' m.,n sir. Bliss, who would keep his
oNn counsel, and who could be relied
on Tor absolute loyalty TO the cause.
Campaign Fund Dangers.
The President knew perfectly the
Danger OF great campaign fund. He
did not want to be defeated. M, man
Goes; lie was anxious that he should
not De endangered for want OF sinews
Mr. Bliss was the very man who could
at least get fair division of them. So
according 10 the story which has been
talked since Congress met and which
~ Noucned for on high authority. MIR
Ellss was allowed TO dictate the seIee-
tnat appointment was part of Ehe eay,I
olelon on which Mr.. Bliss became
rhe e57siyS3 aatpp5Raff1ss5tAt nfrSsb5ft MAD: :O.o
ponticaI sensation. So did many OF the
things Cortelyou did. He conducted fbe
once IN new fashion. Unknown young
men ala the work. the chairman WAS
not much known during the fight
Pohtlcal leaders found ii difficult =, get |
Al him. II was known that he did a |
tremendous amount OF work. and that |
No had made new organization in 4
many ways. ana effective one But
IL Is now declared. Cornelius y Bliss !
was none the less the real manager OF /
the campaign. and his success was at
tested by the result.
Millions Contributed.
in this connection it is said on high
authority that the Hanna campaign
fund OF 1896, abodt ST.O99,OOg. was the
lsrgest ever raised, that the Tfarfrit [
funq 'ot ,f9Us a bout a GO0,000. was, second "A
4 nd that something less than S2 900 600 1.
was spent by the Republicans I'm 1904
The Cleveland fund OF 1902 is put down
rs about 100000. high water mark at
hzf time