The Washington herald., 1907-12-18

From sick bed in his home here Sec
Tetary Of the Treasury Cortelyou issued
a statement last evening, in which he
denounced as false and malicious the
reports circulated recently in regard to
his alleged candidacy for the Republican
Presidential nomination.
The statement is clear, explicit, and
comprehensive.
Mr.. Cortelyou denies that he was or is
candidate Cor any office Ii he should
decide to be a candidate. he will say so.
he asserts. He gives strong answer to
the allegations that he had influenced
Federal oficehOlders 10 work for his po-
htical promotion. and declares that he
will not do so, This is the statement:
Il do not know that 1 am called upon
to make a statement at this time but. in
view of the various rumors in circulation
as to the alleged political activity of
friends Of mine in my interest. I will say
that have not been a candidate for any
thing but the confidence Of the people in
the discharge of my duties as Secretary
OF the Treasury.
L have not in person sought, nor have
the friends whose names have been men
toned in this connection sought to in
fiuence political movements in my inter
est; have not nor have they used any
influence directly or indirectly. TO secure
political suppo-t for or against any can
didate for the Presidency. and accusations
that such has been done are unqualIhedly
false.
In no Office, in no one Of the three
departments with which have been con-
nected. have I authorized or permitted
officials or employees to influence any such
movements, nor shall 1 do So In COM
mon with many other citizens, have de-
cided views as TO policies and as TO can
didates, but shall refrain from express
ing them until believe it is proper for
me to do so.
Upon this statement l am entirely con-
tent TO leave the people TO draw their
own conclusions regarding such rumors
as those to which have referred. If in
the future 1 shall decide 10 be a candi
date for any Office I shall be prepared
to say so frankly ard state the grounds
upon which I ask for support. In the
meantime. I shall try, is I have tried in
the past. TO conduct the Treasury De-
partment for the benefit of the people
of the whole country, and absolutely
without regard to whether any action I
may take in the line of my duty may ad-
versely affect my personal or political
welfare. GEO. B. CoRTELYoU."
An Echo of the Rumor.
Mr.. Cortelyous public declaration is
an echo of the flood Of rumor which fol-
lowed President Roosevelts announce
ment Of December II that he would ad-
here 10 his previously expressed deterrni-
nation not to be a candidate for a third
term.
Circumstantal accounts. alleged to be
accurate. were put forth in an attempt
70 show that the President has ascer-
tanned that Mr.. Cortelyou was furthering
the third-term idea, in the hope OF nelpjne
his own chances for the Presidency and
hurting those OF Secretary Taft, and that
the President issued his new renuncia-
tion to put a stop TO the reported work
OF Mr. CortelyOu and his political agents
1t was apparent these accounts were
being fostered from common source.
and while much of the talk directed
against Mr.. Cortelyou had come from
weakened and apprehensive boomers of
Secretary Taft's political advancement
friends of Mr.. Cortelyou became salts
fed that the real inspiration of the anti
Ccrtelyou propaganda was to be found
elsewhere, and that the object was not
so much to help Mr.. Taft as to hurt Mr..
CortelyOu.
Assigned as Reasons.
Personal as we'll as political consjdera-
tions were assigned as the reason for this
attempt to discredit the Secretary OF the
Treasury with President Roosevelt. The
stories that have appeared in the news
papers TO show that Mr.. Cortelyou was
engaged in an unauthorized use of Presi-
dent Roosevelts name, TO further Mr.
Cortelyou's own political ends, were put
forth in such way and with such narra-
ton Of alleged detail, that many were
misled into believing That their source
was semi-authoritative.
In order to prevent misunderstanding in
this connection, 1t should be made clear
that nothing has come TO light to Indicate
that President Roosevelt believed that
his Secretary Of the Treasury had been
guilty of political activity OF a character
which the President disapproved.
There is no evidence that the President
has said one unkind word of Mr.. CorteI-
you The persistent reports that Mr.. Cor
telyou would resign from the Cabinet