The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-04-05

wanted assistance from the national
republican committee to help out
Chairman Odell in the New York state
campaign towards whose expenses he
(Harrimant had appropriated $4,000.
The president promised to commun-
icate with AIessrs Cortelgou and Bliss
to see what could be done He did
in this case. he declared, just what
h had done in other instances where
he had been appealed to help in cam
paigns. TO some Of his visitors the
president referred to the statement
made public last night by Judge Al
ton 3. Parker in Albany. IN which
he said that il has never been denied
that s15o,OOO was turned over by the
Equitable, Mutual and New York
Life Insurance companies to Mr..
COrtelyOus committee, and that con
gress had refused 10 make an invcsti-
cation into the corporate cOntribu-
tions of 1904 or to pass i law pro
hibiting such contributions in the fu-
ture. On this subject the president
referred TO a statement which he made
on November I, 1904, in which he
said in part: THAT contributions
have been made to the republican
committee as contributions have been
made 70 the democratic committee
is not the question AZ ISSUE Mr..
Parkers assertion is in effect that
such contributions have been made
for improper motives either in con-
sequence of threats or in cOnse-
quence OF improper promises, direct or
indirect on the part Of the recipients
But there IS not one.
particle OF truth in the statement"
etc.
Neither Mr.. Parker nor his sup
been able to .controvert the state
ments made in that answer. The pres
ident stod to his own knowledge about
a dozen contributions offered by
corporations had been declined by
Chairman Cortelyou, but that others
had been accepted. A contribution
by the American Tobacco company,
he said. had been returned prom
inent man. he added. had made O
contribution OF $4,000 to the republi-
can campaign fund. Subsequently
this man had made known his desire
for an appointment in the diplomatic
service in the event that the presi-
dent was elected. AS soon as his
motives we're understood the national
committee returned his contribution.
The president asserted to his callers
that mono OF the corporations that
contributed to campaign fund in 1904
had come to him for favors either
directly or indirectly. In this con-
nection the preFident regferred to the
legislation enacted regarding corpora
tions during the last two years as
disproving and imputations that i'm
munity would be shown them for their
contributions
It was authoritatively declared at
the white house today that the real
reason for Mr.. E. H. Harriman's in
terest in the election of the state
| ticket in New York in 1904, refer
enco to which was made in the COM
munications which passed between him
and the president, was that he desired
| to advance his own ambitions. It
| is asserted that Mr.. Hartman want
ted the position OF Senator now filed
| by Nr. Depew and that this was the
reason why he was anxious to have
him appointed ambassador 70 Paris.
| The inference from Nr Harriman's
attitude. according to the statement
made at the white house, was that If
| Senator repew could be induced to
&C to Paris, that Governor Higgins
was prepared TO appoint him to the
vacancy.