The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-11
SToRER AND ROOSEVELT.

SToRER AND ROOSEVELT.
1t took the president some six col |
umns of solid nonpareil to call Bellamy
Storer a mendacious prevaricator, or
words to that effect, and after a peru
sal of the six columns the reader may
still have his doubts as to whether the
president proved it or not. The gist of
Storer's offending makes a most inter
esting chapter in the diplomatic history
of the country. He was formerly am
bassador to Madrid and then at Wen
Ia; and in the course of his career he
called upon the pope with a personal
message from President Roosevelt urg-
ing that Archbishop Ireland, the emf
nent Republican prelate, be made Z
cardinal. Some inkling of his mission
got into print both in Europe and at
home, and the president disclaimed
having delegated Storer to deliver such
= message. In addition, he wrote his
Dear Bellamy' a personal letter, with
an enclosure of instructions for Mrs.
PelIamy, who had also been active in
the Ireland affair. Storer thought the
letter put him in a false position and
failed or refused to answer It. The Sc
quel was his sudden dismissal from the
service in such way that he was dis
graced in the eyes of the diplomatic
world.
Quite recently Mr.. StOrer printed a
pamphlet giving his view of the matter
and publishing the presidents letters,
both official and personal. The present
controversy is the outcome of this pub
licatiOn.
II it is any consolation, Mr.. Storer
may remember that he is in very dis
tinguished company when the president
accuses him of falsehOod. Tht list of
men who have misunderstood the pres
idential conversation is surprisingly
long and eminent in character. 1t in
cludes Alton B. Parker, one-time can
didate for president. whom Roosevelt
assailed for his declaration that tho
corporations of New York had beer
corraled by Cortelyou in his campaign
for subscriptions. To be sure, the in
surance investigations proved Mr.. Par
ker was right and the president wron:
in the issue of veracity. but that is onl!
an incident. Mr.. Bowen, the ministe
TO Venezuela, is another of the mel
whom the president designated as men
dacious: an eminent Massachusett
man, Mr.. Whitney, whose memory Of
conversation on the tariff was repudi
ated by Roosevelt, although it was cor
roborated by others who were present
Mr., Chandler of New Hampshire, for
mer senator, who secured Democrat
support for the president in his rat
bill fight only to be betrayed and &C
cused of falsehood when the presiden
found IT convenient to desert his Dem
ocratic allies and form an alliance wit
Aldrich
Recalling the kind of men who hav
been thus curiously defective in the
memory of the presidents spoken wor'
IT is easy to understand how Mr.. Store
could be mistaken. The president say
Storer lied, and that ought to settle
with anybody. There is. however, ROOF
for discussion as to the treatment {
Storer. He had been intimate enoug
to be called MY Dear Bellamy;" h
wife had been assured in writing
Roosevelt's affection for her, and ha
discussed with her such weighty affair
of state as the administrations attituC
toward the Catholic hierarchy in II
Philippines and Cuba. Yet, in the fa'
of these intimate, friendly relation
after his resignation had once bee
filed and declined, Storer was kickt
out of the service under peculiarly il
nonimous circumstances because he he
failed to answer what he considered
discourteous personal letter.
1t is true, as Roosevelt says. that Il
president had no business recommen
ing the election of Archbishop Irelan
or any other ecclesiastical person
any religious organization; but
letters, taken with the his attitude I
ward the archbishop and his admir-
ton for him, might easily have be-
construed as indicating a desire TO S
him promoted, particularly as some
his letters when governor of New Yo
were capable CT such a constructio