The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-03

Wife Of the Retiring Ambassador
Grants an Interview-Ske Denies
That She Ever Abused q Letter OF
President Roosevelt-Coupie VIII
Leave Vienna In June.


Vienna. March 3I-Mrs- Beilamy
Storsr, wife of the retiring American
ambassador, has reconsidered her. de-
eision TO maintain complete silence in
regard to the controversy aroused over
her husbands recall. In the course
of an interview today with the Asso-
ciated Press she said:
After consultation, and following
the advice of many Of our friends,
particularly that OF the Marquis De
Reverseaux, the French ambassador,
have decided 10 formally deny that
ever abused a letter of President
Roosevelt, as has been asserted. The
! president has never written me on
the subject of Archbishop Ireland, ex-
| cept in letter last December upon
another subject. Mr.. Roosevelt, wnen
governor of New York, wrote me &
letter in 1900. TO which the report
presumably alludes. This letter was
written TO me so that | might show it
to Cardinal Rampolla, the papal sec
retary Of state, in order TO convince
the vatican of the friendly attitude OF
prominent Americans toward Arch
| bishop Ireland's policy. 1t was all
done to aid our government in its re-
lations with the Philippines. | sent
Cardinal Rampolla a copy of only
half of the letter. because the other
half was purely personal That is all
| wish to say about the matter
Neither my husband nor myself is
going to indulge in recriminationS
against the president. We will wait
and see what the authorities at Wash
ington think right to publish about the
| matter. If they publish their reasons
for the recall of Mr.. Storer We nave
have many proofs of the right being
on our side"
The letter of Mr. Roosevelt, who
then was governor of New York, dated
1900, is as follows:
Il have just received your letter.
need not say what a pleasure it would
be for me to do anything for Arch
bishop Ireland. You know how high
regard 1 have always felt for him
He represents the type of Catholicism
which, in my opinion, must prevail in
the United States if the Catholic
church is to attain its full measure
of power and usefulness with our
people and our form of government.
I absolutely agree with what Judge
Taft says to you in his letter Of March
20, with relation to that part of this
problem which affects the Philippines,
but the problem as q whole affects
the United States as whole. A re-
dictionary or in any way anti-Ameri-
can spirit in ecclesiastical affairs
would in America, in the long run, re-
suit in disaster just as certainly IS a
similar course in political affairs. /
may add that the bigoted oppo-
nents of Catholicism are those
most anxious to see triumph within
the ranks of Catholicism this reac-
tionary spirit, and the throwing out
of men who have shown broad liberal
ism and Americanism in their policy.
you must have very hard time
in Madrid, and l earnestly hope that
the signal devotion to the good Of
the country which you and Bellamy
have shown will result in it's proper
reward, and in your being transferred
in the not distant future to Rome, or
better still, Paris"
Mr.. Roosevelt's letter then refers 10
his efforts to avoid the nomination
for the vice presidency, and concludes
With love to Bellamy, faithfully
yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Mr. Storer was much improved to-
day Mr.. and Mrs. Storer have re-
solved not to- leave Vienna before
June.