Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-03
HARTMAN DECLARES
PRESIDENT HAS DONE
HIM AN INJUSTICE
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 2.-E. II. Harri-
man late tonight gave out the follow
ing statement in response to the state
ment made public by President Roose-
welt at Washington today:
For many years l have maintained
an intimate correspondence with my
friend, Sydney Webster What wrote
him and what he wrote me was, of
course, intended for our eyes alone. In
the course of letter which he wrote
me in December, 1905, he warned me
against being drawn into politics and
questioned whether l had any political
or party instinct This drew from me
the reply to Mr.. Websters inquiry,
which, in a substantially correct form,
had been stolen and published.
This letter was written on January
2, 1906, at q time when no one could
doubt the cordiality of my relations
with the president.
About ten days ago I was told that
a discharged stenographer was trying
to sell to some newspaper a reproduce
ton from his notes of one of my private
letters. l could hardly believe that any
matter so obtained would be accepted
or published. Yet I made every effort
to prevent it.
when 1 learned late yesterday after
noon that a New York paper had
transcript of these notes 1 notified the
publisher at once of the facts and
urged upon his attention the gross out
rage that the publication of it under
such circumstances would involve.
While deploring, of course, that the
sacredness of a private correspondence
should be thus violated, cannot with
draw anything in the letter.
Calls Statement Unjust
II have read the presidents state
ment. L am most anxious to treat him
and his utterances with the considera-
ton due to the high Office which he
holds. Nevertheless l feel bound to
call attention to certain things in re-
gard to which he does me an injustice
I'm his letter to Mr.. Sherman he
clearly seeks to convey the impression
that the personal interview with him
in the fall of 1904 was of my seeking
and not his. He says:
His Chairman and my letters
now before me in the fall of 1904 run
as follows:
On his return from spending the
summer in Europe. on September 1, he
wrote me stating that if l thought it
any time, then or later. When he had
been, as you remember, a delegate to
the Republican convention, having
voted for my nomination. On Septem-
ber % 1 answered his letter. saying:
=" AT present there is nothing for me
to see you about, though there were one
or two points in my letter of acceptance
which L would like to have discussed
with you before putting it out"
One Letter Omitted
Let me present the facts. On June
20, 1904, the president wrote the follow
ing letter which he does not include in
the correspondence published today. II
reached me in Europe:
WHITE HOUSE, Washington, June
29, 1904.-Personal: My Dear Mr.. Harri-
man: L thank you for your letter. AS
soon as you come here I will want tc
see you. The fight will doubtless be
hot then. 1t has been a real pleasure tc
see you this year. Very truly yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.'
In reply to this 1 wrote him on my
return from Europe the letter of Sep
tember 20, the opening sentences OF
which he eliminated in his publication:
NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 1904-My
Dear President: l was glad to receive
your note of June 80 last while I was il
Europe. l am now getting matters
that accumulated during by absence
somewhat cleared up, and if you think
1t desirable will go to see you at any
time either now or later. 1t seems to
me that the situation could not be in
better shape. Yours sincerely,
70. H. HARTMAN
Then followed a series of invitation.
from the White House, both from tht
president and his secretary, urging m,
to go TO Washington. On October II
the president wrote:
Hartman Raises Funds
"'In view of the trouble over the
state ticket In New York | should like
to have a few words with YOU. Dc
you think you can get down here with.
In a few days or take either luncheon
or dinner with me?'
1.-The president dwells at length or
the assertion that he did not ask me ID
contribute for the presidential cam.
paign' nor for his personal benefit
do not deny this statement, nor is Il
at all consistent with the assertion,
l made in the Webster letter respeotinf
the interview. Therein l distinctly said
1.-The president sent me a REQUEST I,
go to Washington for a conferene,
upon the political conditions in New
1oih Stole' colipllSu, ana he tOlC
me the campaign could not be success
fully carried on without suffioien
money and asked If / would help then
In raising the necessary fund, as IN,
national committee under Shairnnai
Cortelyou had utterly failed of obtain
| ing them and there was large amour
/ due them from the New York stat,
committee
What Request Meant
"If that means anything whatever
must be that he was urging me to he'll
| the New York state committee and no
the national committee nor the presi
Dental campaign. except so far as TN
] suqcosS Of tha state ticket would ron