The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-04-05
ROOSEVELT SAYS
{, \. HARTMAN HARTMAN IS
DELIBERATE DEEILIIBDERAT LIAR
Denies Railroad Magnate',
Statement That President
Requested a Fund.
NAILS CAMPAIGN CANARE
sNWitful Untruth"-ShouId Be Charae.
terized by an Even Shorter
and More Ugly
Word.

Washington, D. c., April 4.-Presiden,
Roosevelt today gave out a statement
in reference to a letter of L. IL Aar-
riman published today.
He characterized the statements
made in the letter that the president
had requested Hartman to raise a
fund for the republican campaign, as:
"A deliberate, wilfl untruth-by
rights it should be characterized by
an ever shorter and more ugly word"
The letter was published in New
York this morning and purports to
have been written by Hartman to Sid
ney Webster, of New York. In the let
ter the statement is made that at the
request of Mr.. Roosevelt, Hartman
assisted in raising a fund of S2a0.oo0 to
b used in carrying New York for the
republican party.
The presidents denial is In
a brief statement and copies of the let
tiers written to Representative Sher-
man, of New York. The letters are
dated October s and October II, 1906.
The president after furnishing these
letters to the press. dictated the fol-
lowing statement:
After writing these letters to Con-
gresham Sherman, the president was
assured that Hartman a not made
the statements which Sherman a
credited him with making. Inasmuch
as the same statements appear in the
major part in the letter Hartman now
publishes, the president deems it proper
that the letters sent to Congressman
Sherman last October shall now them
selves be made public"
Wanted Depew Appointed.
In the first letter reference is made
to a conversation between Hartman
and Sherman, which was repeated to
Tho prpCi1arf in which IorriYn9n iC
said to have given, as a reason for his
personal dislike of the president, part
~ the latter's determination to have
he railroads supervised, and partly,
the alleged fact that, after promising
Hartman to appoint Depew as ambas-'
failed to do SO, and" continues the
president, Il understood you to say, he
alleged I made this promise at a time
when he had to come down to see me in
Washington, when I requested him to
kraise $25O,Oo0 for the republican pres
Sadential campaign"
It appears from conversation repeat
Nd to h president that Sherman had
bne to Hartman to ask him for a
c fntribution for the campaign. The
president says Hartman. also (more.i
tn11t1 once. he thinks) urged him t6,
because this would help Odell by pleas
ing certain big financial interests.
The president said he informed Mr..
Hartman that he did not believe it
would be possible to appoint Depew,
and furthermore expressed his surprise
at Hartman saying men representing
the big financial interests in New York
wished the appointment made, mas
much as a nunlber of them had writ
ten asking that the place be given to
Mr.. Hyde.
Hartman, on learning that Hyde was
n a r1iSn AM ~ -o. ~ 1s1 -
wish to be understood as a~ntagoEizing
him, n would be quite willing to sup
port him.
The president says although he I'M
derstood that Hartman still preferred
Depew, he left the strong impression
that he would be almost as Well salts
lied with Hyde.
State Ticket Trouble.
Some correspondence is here given
between h president and Hartman,
from which it appears that on October
10, the president laid to Mr.. Hartman
that in view of the trouble over the
state ticket in New York he would like
to have a few words with him.
Later, October IL, is a letter to Har-
riman In Which the president says the
suggestion has come to him in a round
about way that Hartman did not think
1t wise to come, in the closing weeks
OF the campaign. The president told
AAoAA AllC IAl1I IL 1lGE s1OuSIl lHcIS WAS
any danger of his visit raising trouble,
to give it up. Here the president in
his letter to Sherman says:
you will see his letter is absolutely
incompatible with any theory that T
was asking Hartman to come down
and see me In my own interests"
The president djscloses another let
Ter from Hartman, in his communi-
cation to Sherman. which he says
shows Hartman did not have in his
mind, ANY idea of my asking him to
collect money!"
Then follows some correspondence
between Hartman and the president.
touching, among other things, the ques-
ton Of railroad matters and what the
president might have to say to con-
gress on the subject o fthe Interstate
Commerce commission. h president
said he was unable to agree with Har-
riman' views on the matter and left
his message to congress unchanged
as regards the interstate Commerce
law.
Crooks; He Could Buy Them"
$50 much for what Mr.. Hartman
said Q me personally" says the
president in concluding the first letter
to Mr.. Sherman.
Far more important, the president re-
CARDS the additional remarks which
Sherman says Hartman made TO him
when he asked him If he thought II
well to see "Hearstism and the like"
triumph over the republican party.
You says the president, Inform
me he told o he did not care in the
least, because those people were crooks
and he could buy them," and other sim
FLAIR remarks.
This, the president says, was doubt
less partly in boastful cynicism ans
partly in a burst of bad temper. but n
showed in the presidents opinion the
cynicism and deep seated Corruption.
winch ne in strong words.
The second letter to Sherman u,arelw
contain addenda to the first.