Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-02
PRESIDENT REPLIES
TOE. H. HARTMAN
Characterizes His Statement as a
Willful and Deliberate 'Untruth.

point Mr. DeDeW, ana furthermore eA-
pressed my surprise at his saying that the
men representing the big financial interests
of NewYork wished that appointment made,
inasmuch as a number of them had written
to me asking that the same place be gwen
to Mr.. Hyde, and that as a matter of fact
while l was not prepared to announce any
decision. doubted whether I could appoint
either Mr.. Depew or Mr. Hyde to the place
AS as Mr.. Hartman heard that Mr..
Hyde was a candidate and had asked the
names of his hackers he hastily said that
he did not wish to be understood antaS-
onzng Mr.. Hyde and would be quite WI
ing to support him; and though | under
stood that he still preferred Mr.. Depew, he
left me strongly under the impression that
he would be almost as well satisfied with
Mr.. Hyde, and was much, discontinued at
my informing him SO positively, not once,
but repeatedly, that did not think / should
be able to appoint either.
His and my letters now before me of the
| fall of 1901 run as follows: On his return
| from spending the summer in Europe, on
| September %, he wrote me. stating that If
| / though it desirable he would come to
see me at any time, either then or later
the had been, as you remember, delegate
| to the republican national convention, hav-
| ing voted for my nomination.. On Septem-
Der % l answered this letter. saying:
"At present there is nothing for me to
see you about, though there We're one or
two points in my letter of acceptance which
l should have liked to discuss with You
before putting it out
The Presidents Letter.
On October 10 I wrote him:
I'm view of the trouble over the state
ticket in New York l should much like to
have u few words with YOU Do you think
you can get down here within a few days
and take either lunch dinner with me?'
The trouble spoke of had reference to
the bolt against HigSins-that is, in reality
against Mr. Hartman and Mr. Harrin1an's
friend Gov. Odel1. y reference to the files
of the New York papers at that time will
show that there was a very extensive bolt
against MIR. Higgins upon the ground that
Gov. Odell had nominated him. and that he
had In some matter favored Mr. Hartman
oVermuch-neither ground. in my Judgment
being tenable. Mr.. Harriman'S backing of
GOV. OdelI and extreme anxiety that he
should win out by securing Higgins cleo
uon, was matter of common notor,etv
and mentioned in all the papers, notably in
the New York Sun. On October ~ Mr.
Hartman wrote me:
: am giving a very large part of nv
time to correcting the trouble here and in
tend to do SO If any effort on my part can
accomplish It, l will take occasion
the nrst OF next week to run down to see
sou' ana 'hihk py that time the conditions
VIII be very much improved"
After receiving this letter | wrote Mr.
Hartman the following letter. which 1 give
I; in full:
| Personal October If roo,
My Dear Mr. Hartman. A suagast;o,
mas come TO me in rounda bout way th,t
| you do not think IL wise to come IN ,o coo
me IN these closing weeks of the campaien
out that you are reluctant to refuse inas-
much as have asked YOU Now. nv dear
Sir you ana l are practical men. and Won
are on the ground and know the condi
'iohs better than do. If you think there
~ any Danger of your visit to me causinp
trouble or II you think there is nothing
special should be informed about or no
matter In which l could give aid why. of
course give up the visit for the time being
ana then. Few weeks hence before I write
my message, 1 shall get you to come down
10 DISCUSS certain government matters not
connected with the campaign
with great regard. sincerely yours.
lou VIII see that this letter is absolutely
Incompatible with any theory that Nas
asking Mr.. Hartman to come down ,o seo
me In my own interest; or intended In male
any request of any kind for help from him
on the contrary, all ] was concerned with
In seeing him was to know if I could no of
heip IN securing the election of Mr. Higgins
d man lot wnom L had the highest re-
spect, as who l believed would be. rs in
he m hoe
ernor
DID Not Ask Him to Collect Money.
Moreover, the following letter will show
| that Mr.. Hartman did not have in mis- mind
| any idea of my asking him to collect
| money. and that, on the contrary what he
| was concerned about in connection with
my letter 20 him was the allusion made
to the fac. that l would like to see him
| before | wrote my message to discuss GER
| tain government matters not connected
with the campaign. His letter, which is of
| November 80, runs as follows:
| Dear Mr.. President:-I just have had a
| telephone talk with Mr.. Loeb. and request
| ed him to give you message from me-
] Il drew his attention to the last para
! graph of your letter to me of October IA
| last. and explained that of course did not
| want to make a trip to Washington unless
| II should be necessary; that the only matter
| know of, and about which had any an
| prehension and which might be referred TO
| in your coming message to Congress, is that
| regarding the interstate commerce COM
| mission, ard what the attitude Of the rail-
| roads should be toward it.
II have communications from many con-
] servative men in the west asking me to
/ take the matter up, they having, which l
have not, information to what yeu pro-
pose to say in your message on that sub
ject. and 1 am very apprehensive about It,
| Mr.. Loeb stated he believed that that
part of the message could be sent to me-
I and / hope that he will do so. / sincerely
believe 1t would be best for all interests
that no reference be made to the subject,
! and in any event IL referred to in such a
1 way as not to bring about increased agita-
| ton. 1t is, as yeu well know, the conserva-
| tive element, and the one which we all
| rely, which is the most seldom heard from
| Yours sincerely"
| This letter to me was crossed by one from
me, which reads as follows:
strictly personal.
November 30, 1904.
My Dear Mr.. Hartman: Mr. Loeb tells