Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1905-11-16
REPLIES TO
PRESIDENT
In Relation His Charge of
Abuse of Confidence
In Consequence Of Which He hod De.
cided to Quit Talking Freely and
Informally.

Boston, Nov 15.-Henry NJ Whitney,
president of the Boston chamber of
commerce. and democratic candidate
for lieutenant governor of Massa-
chusetts, in the recent election, issued
a statement tonight in reference to
President Roosevelt's remarks 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. Whit
ney called on him with reference to
tariff matters and later misquoted
what the president had said. After
reading the Washington dispatch Mr..
Whitney prepared a statement in which
he denied that he had wilfully misrep-
resented the president or Intentionally
violated any confidence.
The statement follows: Andrew G..
Webster ]. NJ. Hall and I, constituting
a subcommittee of the chamber of COM
merce committee of 105 on reciprocal
trade. visited Washington last winter
for a conference with the president
touching especially the matter of the
HayBo treaty. /, as chairman of
the committee made an argument in
favor Of the treaty and in the argu-
ment made reference to the advantage
of reciprocal treaties with Canada. We
understood the president to express
himself as not unfavorable to the Hay
Bond treaty but desirous of seeing and
favoring the freedom of trade with
China. I was not aware that this was
to be regarded in the nature of a con-
fidential communication; quite the
contrary, as we were there, as we
stated to the president, as a commit
tee of the chamber of commerce COM
mittee of 100, sent to consult with the
president and to report the result of
that conference to the full committee
which was equivalent to giving it to
the public.
'While we may have misunderstood
the president, I do not see how we
could have done so. l absolutely deny
any wilful and intentional misrepre-
sentation of the presidents attitude
and I have no recollection of what he
refers to as the context which was
calculated to modify the views express
ed. The committee above named made
substantially this report to the full
committee at the time of our return
from Washington, and the presidents
attitude, as We understood it, has been
the subject for congratulation among
our people from the time of our visit
to Washington to the present. 1t was
nothing new and L did not regard it
as new matter in my campaign.
81 regret extremely that the presi-
dent should consider that l have mis-
represented his attitude, and especially
that he should feel that / have inten-
tiOnally done so, which l aver is not
true"
Copies of this statement We're sent to
Mr.. Hall and Mr.. Webster, who accom-
panied by Mr.. Whitney to the White
House. Mr.. Whitney requested them
to examine the statement carefully and
inform Mr.. Whitney if it corresponded
with their recollection of the matter.
Mr. Webster replied as follows: 'T
have read your letter regarding the in
terview with the president last winter.
My recollection of what was said at
that time is substantially what you
have written. 1 did not understand that
it was a confidential interview"
Mr.. Hall said: 81 have just receiv-
ed your letter concerning our conversa-
tion with the president last winter. My
recollection agrees with your. 1 had
no conception that the interview was
considered confidential by any one"