Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-04-02
TOday's Telegraphic News
Hartman Throws Bomb at the President

| Hartman Throws Bomb at the President
New York, April 2. Not in years
has such excitement been created by the
explosion OF q metsphorical bomb as
today has been stirred by the publica-
ton OF the letter Of Edward Fl. Harri-
man 10 Sidney Webster, in which he
declares that Theodore Roosevelt APP
pealed to him to save the republican
party from defeat In 1904.
Coming at the time 1t does, with the
railroad situation In an acute stage and
With the entire nations eyes focused on
Hartman and Roosevelt, the possible
effect OF the letter bsffles even an intelll-
gent guess. But OF even greater conse-
quence is the attitude in which it places
President Roosevelt, who on November
4, 1904, made the unequiyocal declaration
that the charge made by Alton B. Parker
that the trusts we're fnrnlshing the re-
publican campaign committee with
funds, was ''atrociously false"
Harriman's letter states that the Pres
ident appealed directly TO him and that
he raised the 5000, 900 desired to swing
the vote of New York state into the
republican column. Hartman admits
writing the letter. All ears are now on
the White House.
What will the President dO2 Will he
deny Harrimsn's statement or will he
explain his action satisfactorily, Will
he repudiate Hartman or will the two
get together for a council of war3 Is
there 40 explanation, or has one OF the
biggest financial political snasls Of recent
years been unexpectedly revealed? The
next few hours will answer most Of {.
questions.
Advices from Washington stated that
the excitement created by the publi-
cation Of the letter had not confined II.
self to the lower end Of Manhattan
Island, bnt that in Washington, too,
the greater activity had been stirred up.
Developments Of startling nature are
anticipated from busiuess quarters be-
fore the day is over.
The publication of the Hartman letter
involves peculiar situation. 1t was
only after Mr.. Hartman had tried to
prevent its publication, that he admitted
the authenticity Of tho epistls.
Albany, N. Y, April 1.-The pub.
lIeatlon Of the Hartman letter showing
the alleged bargain between President
Roosevelt and F. Fl. Hartman. was
read with great interest here and by no
one with quite such keen relish as BY
former Judge Alton B. Parker, who WAS
defeated by Roosevelt for tie presidency.
Parker said he was loath 10 enter into
any public discussion OF the facts con.
tanned therein, but intimatsd that he
might have something to say on the
subject later in the day.
IF do make any statement tor pub.
lication," declared Mr.. Parker, ri may
require some data that have on the
subject and sending for 1t may require
some time. have read the letter said
to have been written by Mr. Hartman
with a great deal OF care, but do not de-
sire TO be quoted on its contents at this
present moment.
Friends of the defeated candidate,
however, called attention to the fact that
the statement contained In the HarTi.
man letter regarding the raising Of
money by the railroad corporations WAS
part Of the charges made on the stump
by Judge Parker while candidate for
the Presidency and that just a week be-
fore election he publicly charged that n
mammoth corruption fund" had been
raised TO defeat him. This was indig
nsnty denied both by President Roose-
welt and Chairman Codelyou. Nov,
Parker's friends claim, he ia being vindl
Gated by the truth becoming known.