Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-11
MR.. STORER IN REBUTTAL
Former Ambassador Says He is Member
Of "Ananias Club,
REPLIES TO WORD FROM WHITE HOUSE
Cruz of Matter said to BE Action
Taken by Himself and Wife
in ArchbisbOp's Cam
paign.

CINCINNATI, Dec. 1O.-Bellamy Storer'
former ambassador to Austria-Hungary'
today replied briefly to the statements
contained in President Roosevelt's letter
to Secretary Of State Root, which was
given to the press last night, insisting on
the position he had heretofore taken and
reiterating the statements made by him
in the statement to the members Of the
foreign relations committee Of congress,
made public last week.
Mr. Storer today said:
II seem to have been elected a member
Of the 'Ananias Club like all others who
have come into dispute with President
Roosevelt am now to be classed with
Senators Chandler, Tillman and Bailey and
with others who have questioned some act
or word Of the president Like every other
American gentleman who has a wife to
protect 1 undertook to defend her name
from insnuations and charges Of false
hood"
Mr.. Storer then reiterated much that
appeared in his first statement which he
claims was intended for private circulation
and added that he has four letters bearing
on the controversy as to the promotion of
Archbishop ireland, all of which he as
! serts tend to bear out his contention that
I obeyed the explicit instructions Of Mr..
Roosevelt in acting as l did with regard
to the promotion"
Continuing, Mr.. storer said:
Archbishop Ireland told me also that the
president, on several occasions. in con-
versation with him, took the credit for
the action he now repudlates."
Crux of Matter.
| Mr.. StOrer continued:
'The crux Of the whole matter which led
70
| Mrs. Storer and myself with regard to
the promotion Of Archbishop John Ireland
of ST. Paul to the cardiualate. In my let
ter to the president and cabinet 1 cited
letters written by Roosevelt to me speak
ing in the highest terms OF Monsignor Ire
! lana and expressing the personal wish that
! the country might profit by his promotion
to the cardinalate. On December %, 1903
I had an audience with Pope Plus Y, at
| which l transmitted a verbal note, the
basis of which had been given me by Pres
| ident Roosevelt. l was particularly careful
in its presentation and after transcribing
1t into English 1 translated It into French
and conveyed 1t to the pope. The com
munication was as follows:
He said to me and authorized. me Il
say to your holiness that the archbishop
| of st. Paul is. his personal friend and thai
he possessed his whole confidence as g
prelate and as a citizen, that he earnestly
| desired Monsignor Ireland all the honofs
! with the greatest pleasure and satisfaction
his elevation to the rank of cardinal.
Now as to the charge that I acted with
out warrant in this matter 1 have only t
cite the fact that Archbishop Ireland II
conversation with me told me that Presi
dent Roosevelt had told him of all 1 haC
done, and instead Of criticising, me for m,
L. A..1-z
self.
New Workers Get Busy.
Everything was all right until q section
Fof New York churehmen began to agitat
the elevation Of an archbishop other thai
Monsignor Ireland. They pointed out t.
Roosevelt that the New York preate ha,
at least as much claim to the red hat
the archbishop Of St. Paul. This results
in much perturbation at the White Hous
and letters were sent to me by Roosevelt
pointing out that what might be very ap
propriate as the opinion of a private citi
zen would come with a very bad grace a
the president of the United States.
Everyone with a grain of sense know
that. There has never been a question a
to that. l knew In the entire TRANSACTION
that I was not presenting the official view
of the president This separation OF tn
official and personal sides of the matter
not unique. Mckinley did the same thinf
He favored the elevation Of Mgr. IRELAND
but he did not do so as the president Of tn
United States. Roosevelt favored the ele
walton Of the archbishop but he did nc
: do so under the great seal OF the Unite
, States. All that was perfectly clear an
: there was no chance for misconstruction.
: ION my word, I thought l was obeyin
the personal request of Theodore Rooseve
: when I presented his oral note to POP
D Plus X"
Archbishop Remains silent.
NEW YORK, Dec 10-Archbishop Irt
land. who is here to attend the annuj
meeting Of the National Civic Federation
when asked to talk for publication abol