The Washington herald., 1907-12-19
Believed in the Loyalty OF
Mr.. Hitchcock.
TALKED ABOUT MR.. CoRTELYOU
Statement Issued by First Assista mt
Postmaster General Says that Mr.
HoOseVeIt Told Him He Knew
story of Southern Trip in Interest
of Secretary TO BE False.

with President Roosevelt has fallen fat
Mr.. CortelyOu's statement OF last night
was sufficiently explicit in its denial OF
the allegations that Mr. Cortelyou,
through First Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Hitchcock. had attempted to obtain
Southern support for Mr. Cortelyou's re-
ported candidacy for the Republican nom
ination, but to-day additional evidence
was furnished that President Roosevelt
put no stock in the stories of disloyalty
on the part Of The Secretary Of the Treas
ury.
Mr. Hitchcock made a statement in
which he declared that President Roose-
Welt had told him that he knew that the
charge of disloyalty made against Mr..
Hitchcock was absolutely false.
Mr. HitchcOck's Statement.
Here is Mr.. Hitchcock's statement:
have read Secretary Cortelyou's
statement. as published in the morning
papers. am sure that the public will
accept it as the truthful declaration Of
thoroughly sincere man. 1t disposes Of
tie charge that 1 have been in any man.
ner disloyal to President Roosevelt. That
President has told me he knows II to be
false. do not care TO discuss the matter
iurther- l should not say even this were
1t not for the appreh sion that some
people who are unfamiliar with the facts
may be mislead by the statements cir
culated'
There are signs that the Presidents
recent directions to Federal officeholders
MS renunciatory third term statement
and the mischievOus story of a CorteIyou
conspiracy, have combined to produce an
unsettled state of mind among Repub-
hcan leaders in the South who draw Fed
erai salaries. Many of these Republicans
would Ike TO continue to serve their
country under a future administration
and there is widespread desire 10 get
on the bandwagon and not to get on the
wrong vehicle by mistake.
CntI a week ago it was the Roosevelt
pandwagon. but now that the President
mas definitely declared his intention not
TO succeed himself, and since some of
The Taft boomers and others have ev-
plotted the story of a CorteIyou nIot
much confusion and uncertainty has
arisen The Southern oficeholders are
uVlded among themselves. but there is
an inclination among many of them to
ma OUT what the President wants Ala
panna, where particularly interesting
SITUATION exists was spoken for to-day.
= -. Barker. leading Republican of
the State, and postmaster of Mobile had
an interview with President Roosevelt
yesterday morning
"a
Mr.. Barker is serving his fourteenth
year as postmaster and he has been
delegate 10 no less than seven Republican
national conventions. He is not looking
for the bandwagon and he is rot so
much concerned as TO any other persons
choice for the next President Of the
United States as he is to correct sop,a Of
the stories that other Republicans OF the
State have been telling about him. An
effort has been made to show that the
Mobile postmaster is not in line with Mr.
Roosevelt IN regard TO the Presidential
succession
What Mr.. Barker said TO the President
Mr.. Barker would not repeat. merely
saying that his visit to the White House
was on a personal matter. He talked with
some freedom, however. about nolit,caI
conditions in the South. particularly Ala
paiia. lie said that he knew nothing OF
q movement on behalf of Secretary
Cortelyou among Federal officeholders in
Alabama or elsewhere in the South.
You Go not believe the stories OF a
Cortelyou conspiracy them" he was
asked.
L think there was conspiracy. but the
conspiracy was not of Mr.. Cortelyou's
Iriends. but against Mr. COrtelyou and
ri I
admire the Secretary, as we all admire a
self-made man who has won his wav 70
high place. but l am not advocating his
nomination for the Presidency. Never
theless, l think there has been an at
tempt TO ulscredit him and his friends nv
seeking 10 show that he has been carrv-
ing on campaign in opposition TO the
candidacy of Secretary Taft and the
wishes Of the President"
Alabama Was for Roosevelt.
What candidate will have the supnort
OF the Alabama delegates TO the national
convention Mr.. Barker was asked
L do not know" he replied. "rla-
bama was for President Roosevelt can
not say that the Republicans of the State
thought that Mr. Roosevelt was really
candidate. but there was feeling that
conditions might arise that would com-
pei him to accept another nomination
The call of the people might be 50 stron-
that he could not resist il. His state
ment last week, however settled that
We take him at his word Since ne made
tnat declaration, there has. of course
been more or less capitalization of tba
forces opposed to President Roosevelt
and it's impossible to say to what ev-
tent the Southern delegates elected 70 +ba
national convention will favor candidato
who may be preferred by Mr.. Roosevelt f"
Mr.. Cortelyou's statement of last nigj,,
mas set the politicians guessing. and thev
VIII De throWn into state Of vet greater
uncertainty when they read the decIara
lions OF Mr.. Hitchcock and Mr.. Barker
presented above, and come to understand
that President Roosevelt will NOT eanc-
tion the charge of disloyalty on the Darr
OF Mr. Cortelyou and Mr.. Hitchcock
NOBODY IS III a position to make any
authoritative announcement of Mr.. Cor
telyou purpose in regard to the Presi-
Dental nomination, and, as he is a de-
cided factor in the complicated situa+ior
confronting the Republican party. tb,.
friends of those candidates who are
clearly in the race are extremely anxious
10 ind out what he intends to do
There was enough in Mr. Cortelyou's
statement TO indicate to some people that
ne would, in the near future. let il be
known whether he was or was not TO be
regarded as an aspirant for the nomins-
ton.
g The most significant development of
political doings IN the Republican camp
is the negatiOn by President Roosevelt !
that the strength Of Gov. Hughes as a
factor in the Presidential situation has