The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-04-04
Says Private Letters to Sydney
Webster We're Stolen and
Later Published
PRIVATE NOTES USED
Magnate Told That Discharged StenOe-
Fdpher Offered to Sell lnfOr-
nation to Newspapers


Washington, April Presiden,
Roosevelt yesterday emphatical1y de-
hied the statements contained in II
letter published yesterday morning,
Il. II Hartman To Sidney WeDster
nf New York in the latter part OF De
camber 1905 In Mr. Harriman's let
Ter the statement is made that at the
request of President Roosevelt. he,
Hartman, assisted in raising a fund
of $250,000 to be used in carrying
New York for the republican party
at the election. This statement the
president characterized as "delib-
crate and willful untruth-by right
1t should be characterized by an even
shorter and more ugly word. never
requested Mir. Hartman to raise Il
dollar for the presidential campaign
of 1904
The president denial was contain
ed in a brief statement and copies of
letters written to Representative
Sherman OF New York The letters
are dated October and October 12,
1906, respectively.
New York, April Be. II. Har-
riman, of the Union Pacific, was deep
ly offended by Il statement issued at
Washington by President Roosevelt
yesterday, in which the president re-
viewed his dealings with the railroad
magnate.
Late last night Mr.. Hartman made
the following reply TO the presidents
statement:
For many years | have maintain
cd an intimate confidential cores
pondence with my friend Sydney
Webster. What | wrote him and all
that he wrote me was intended for
our eyes alone. In a letter which he
wrote me in December, 1905. he eau
toned me against being drawn into
politics and questioned whether
had any political or party instinct.
This drew from me the reply to Mr.
Webster's inquiry, which in snD-
stantiall correct form, had been So
len and published. This letter was
written on January ., 1906, at time
when no one could doubt the cordial
ity of my relations with the president.
"About o days ago | was told that
discharged stenographer was try
ing to sell 10 some newspaper q re-
production from his notes or one OF
nv private leltcrs | could hard
ly believe that any matter so obtain
ed would be accepted or published.
Yet | made every effort TO prevent it,.
While deploring, of course, that the
sacredness OF a private correspond
ence should thus be violated. 7 can
not withdraw anything in the letter.
~ have read the presidents state
ment. am most anxious to treat
him and his utterances with the con
sideration due 10 the high office ne
holds. Nevertheless feel bound to
call attention TO certain things In re
gard to which he does me an MUS
tice
"In his letter TO Mr.. Sherman he
clearly seeks to convey the impress
sion that the personal interview WIN
him in the fall of 1904 was OF my
seeking and not his. He says;
His Chairman and my let
tcrs now before me in The fail ol
1904 run as follows On his return
from spending the summer IN Eu'
rope, on September 10, he wrote me
stating that If l thought it desirable
he would come to see me at any time
then or later. When he had been. as
YOU remember a delegate to the re
publican convention. having voted foi
my nomination On September %
answered his letter, saying: Al pres
ent there is nothing for me to see
YOU about, though there were one OF
two points in my letter of acceptance
which | would like to have discussed
with you before putting il ont
Let me present the facts. On
June 20, 1904, the president wrote
mo the following letter which he doe
not include in the correspondence a
published today 1t reached me II
Europe
White House. Washington. Jun
20, 1904: Personally dear Nil
Hartman thank you for you
letter. AS soon as you come home
will want to see you. The fight viii
doubtless be hot then. 1t has been
real pleasure to see you this yeal
Very truly yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT n
In reply TO this I wrote him on III
return from Europe the letter OF Sci
tember 90, the opening sentences c
which he eliminated in his punfica
ton.
New York. September 20. 100
My dear Mr.. President was gla
to receive your note of June 20 las
while l was in Europe. am no