Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-10
Roosevelt ANWsERs sToRER
President writes TO Secretary Root
Denying ChtrEes of FOr~
mer AhtbassndOr.


WASHINGTON, De s.-President Roose-
welt tonight made public a long letter ad-
dressed to Secretary Root giving corre-
spondence between the president and for
mer Ambassador Bellamy Storer at Vienna
and Mrs Storer. in which he says Mr.
Storers refusal to answer his letters and
the publication OF various letters justified
the ambassadors removal, that Mr. Storer's
publication of private correspondence was
peculiarly ungentlemauly and that he (the
presidenD had stated with absolute clear
ness his position the reason why Il was
out Of the question for him as president to
try to get any archbishop made cardinal
though expressing his admiration for Arch
bishop ireland, as well as leaders OF other
denominations.
The president says he thinks 1t well that
the members Of the cabinet should know
certain facts which he Cstorer) either sup
presses or misstates." He says he did not
resent the action Of the storers until It
became evident they we're likely to damage
American interests" He says Mrs. storer
urged him to give her husband cabinet
place and that she stated Mr.. Choate at
London and General Porter at Paris were
not proper persons to be ambassadors, sug-
gesting her husbandSin that connection.
Mckinley Letter Denied.
The president Incorporates a letter from
Postmaster General Cortelyou, contradict
ing the statement that President Mckinley
had commissioned Rentleman to ask the
pope "as a personal fskor to him and IAN
honor to the country to appoint Arch
bishop ireland as cardinal. Mr.. Cortelyou
says the late president never made any
such request.
The president DECLARES that Mr. Storer's
statement that he authorized any such
message to be delivered to Pope Plus is
untrue. He says tha he never received
letter from Ambassador Storer giving an
account of his visit 70 the Vatican and Of
the message he personally gave the pope
on behalf OF M. Roosevelt.
The presidents action tonight follows the
publication Of the confidential pamphlet"
which Mr. Storer last week sent to the
president, the cabinet and the senate for
eign relations committee.
storer Accused of PerAdy.
The presidents letter, which contains
over 60OO words and quotes extensively
from correspondence, concludes:
Mr.. Storer wrote me a letter rendering
his resignation, not as he asserts because
Of anything in connection with his visit
to the vatican, but solely because Of his
conduct in the HUI st matter In this letter
In answer to mine Of December %, he makes
absolutely no allusion whatever to what I
said in that letter to his call at the
vatican, This letter of mine shows that
had then never heard from him; that he
called at the vatican and his algsolute
says now on the subject IS pure after
thought: His letter runs, In part, as fol-
lows (all the omitted parts referring also
exclusively to the Hurst matter):
January 16. 19O4-bIy Dear Theodore: 1
find In answering yoqr letter of December
letter 1 wrote Hannas as also the writing
was after the 22d q February, 1893, in
second letter Of the 9fh of December.
Ny. writing any lettgH in the terms 1 did
with the deepest reReel $50 If in your
judgment IL would cleAN me in Mr. Hays
eyes, will you hand him the enclosed note
of personal apology; but l beg you will do
this or not as you think wise, as ! must
not appear TO try to escape official censure
by personal repentance. Therefore, give
or burn this note, as you deem best. Not
TO justify my writing at all or in using the
language did, but to explain the affair l
must call attention to the difference OF
procedure I'm this consular case as to what
/ had supposed was precedent. All
this is no excuse for public officer writing
as did outside of the department. If in
weighing the matter II seems that II / by
my own act have lost the confidence of the
secretary OF state, you must without regard
TO me, treat me as you would any other
public officer for the good OF the service.
Without the confidence of the department
the work cannot go on. For your own sake
l should wish that my leaving the service
| might be made to appear a voluntary one,
/ In tho spring or early summer. Also
/ think 1t would be better to have II known
after June. In spite of everything it might
make political gossip which ! should wish
! to postpone, until the din OF the campaign
/ is on. l thank you, my dear Theodore
! Loyalty and sincerely. for your letter
never doubt your absolute loyalty in friend
/ ship to me and mine. Faithfully yours
BELLAMY STORER
I There could be fuller confession of
! wrong doing or more absolute throwing
| himself upon the mercy of his superior Ii
was this letter which ! answered saying,
| as he has himself quoted that l would
| treat the incident as closed and would not
| accept his resignation, and that / was sure
! that John Hay felt as I did. with peculiar
! perfidy Mr.. Storer now seeks TO turn this
I act OF cordial. and | think / may add,
generous, friendship on my part into an
attack upon me by treating nv refusal IA
3 Of his position In the matter Of the vatican
4 to which there was absolutely no allusiou
whatever Of any kind or sort In his letter
OF resignation.
severest possible condemnation OF Mr.
StOrer's disingeniOusness. Very truly yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
/ HON. ELIHU ROOT, Secretary Of State
stOrer Refuses to Talk.
CINCINN NTI. Dec. 9.-Mr. Bellamy
storer upon being shown what President
Roosevelt requested the Associated Press
to say in reference 10 the pamphlet con-
tanning the correspondence between the
president and Mr.. and Mrs. Storer, with
an expression Of surprise said:
! aha. l understand. understand"