The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-04-04

II" tatement Made BY
the President


lowing statement In response to a !
statement made; public by President,
Roosevelt at Washington today: i
For many years I have main
tanned an intimate confidential cor ,,
respondence with my friend Sidney
Webster. What 1 wrote; him and
what he wrote me was, of course,
intended for our eyes. alone. In the
course, OF a letter. which he wrote
me In December, 1905, he warned
me against being drawn into poll
tlcs, and questioned whether T. had
any political or party instinct united
to what he was pleased to call, nv
business instinct. This drew from
me the reply to Mr.. Webster's in
qulry which In substantially correct
form has been stolen and published.
rms letter: was written January 2,
1916, at time when no one cguld
doubt the cordially of my relations
with the president. %.
About ten days ago I was told
that a discharged stenographer' was
l'trylng to sell to some newspaper
reproduction from his notes of one
or my private letters. I could hard
~ believe that any matter so obtain
/ ed would be accepted or published
yet | made every effort to prevent
ut. When I learned late Yesterday
afternoon that New York newspa-
per, had transcript of these notes,
notified the publisher at once of
the facts and urged upon his atten-
| ton the gross damage that the pub
llcatlon Of 1t under such circum-
stances would involve.
| While deploring, Of course that
the secretness of private corresponds
ence should thus be violated, can
not Withdraw anything in the letter.
Il have read the presidents state
ment. l am most anxious to treat
him and his utterances with the con.
| sheraton due to the high office
which. he holds, Nevertheless, T feel
bound to call attention to certain
things In regard to which he does
! me an injustice. r.. .,j|-|
I'm his letter to Sherman he clear
ly seeks to convey the impression
| that the personal interview with
him In the fall Of 1904 was Of my
4 seeking and not his. He says: ~
" His (Harriman) and my letters
now before me in the fall: of 1904
run as follows: On his return from
spending summer in Europe, on Sep
TEMPER 20, he wrote me stating that
II j thought it desirable he would
come TO see me at any time then or
later: He had been as yOiI Temem-
Der, delegate to the national conven-
ton On September 23 I answer
ed 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
= Let me present the facts. On
June ~; 1904, the president wrote
me the following letter which he
does not include in. the correspond
ehce published today. 1T reached
| me In Europe: -. -" ....
20, 1904. WIZ : one
Personal
My dear Hartman: thank
you for your letter. AS soon as you
| como home / shall want to see you.
me fight will doubtless be hot then.
IL has been real pleasure to see
you this year.
------Xery- truly yours, -
tSlsned), THEO. ROOSEVELT To.
I'm reply to this | wrote him on nv
return from Europe the letter OF
! september 20, the opening sentences
OF which he eliminated In his publ
cation:
New York, September 20, 1904.
| Dear Mr.. President: I was very
| glad to receive note Of June 20 last.
Whlle | was In Europe. / am now
| getting matters that accumulated
| during my absence somewhat clear
ca up and If you think 1t desirable,
Will go to see you at any time either
no" or later. 1t seems, to me that
the situation could not be in better
shape.
- Yours sincerely,
(S1gned) E. H. HARTMAN"
Then followed a series Of invita-
tions from the White House both
from the president and his secretary,
urging me to go to Washington. On
OCTOBER 10 the president wrote:
| In view Of the trouble. over the
state ticket In New York I should
much like to have a few words with
you. DO you think you can get down
mere within few days and take
either lunch or dinner with me-
ION October Ia he wrote:
MY Dear Mr.. Hartman: A sup-
| gestlon mas come to me In round
about way that you do not think It
wise to come to see me in these clos
ing weeks Of the campaign, but that
you are reluctant to refuse inasmuch
as have asked you"
"A funeral In my family prevented
a prompt response to the Presidents
repeated invitation, but finally about
october 20 was able to go to Wash
tngton and see him.
\ There Is some difference Of recol-
lection as to what was said at that in
tervisw.
Fortunately the President himself
In his strictly personal letter to me
Of November 80 throws some light
upon what did take place. He says:
If you remember when you were
down here, both you and were so in
terested in certain New York political
Developments that / hardly, if at all
touched on governmental matters
Again in the same letter he says:
AS a matter Of fact Vou will ropooro- -