The sun., 1908-04-10
RAKED UP ROOSEVELT LETTER
FHE ONE TO HARTMAN ABOUT
"PRACTICAL MEN"
Blind senator From Oklahoma Had II Read
In the Course Of a Debate and when Re
buked by = Colleague He said He
Would Rather Read II Than Write II,

VI inc NouFbo ol y bCuANo Nhu "hNA Nv
buked by . Colleague He said He
Would Rather Read II Than Write It,
WASHINGTON April o.-The debate in
the Senate this afternoon on the employers
liability bill was enlivened by the reading
Of President Roosevelt's celebrated letter
TO Edward II. Hartman inviting him 70
come To the White House for a conference
regarding the political outlook in New
York in the campaign Of 1904.
Some Of the Senators deplored the read
ing Of the letter in which the President
suggested to Mr.. Hartman that they were
both practical men, But Senator Gore
Of Oklahoma, who injected the letter into
the debate, assumed full responsibility
for doing 80. Defending himself against
criticism by Senator Gallinger Of New
Hampshire, Mr. Gore said
Il would rather be responsible for the
reading Of that letter than for the writing
Of it,
The letter to Mr.. Hartman crept In
quite, Unexpectedly, Senator. Bacon OF
Georgia was deploring the effect upon
State enactments fixing the liability OF
carriers which the pending bill would have.
He had inquired Of Mr.. Dolliver, who had
charge Of the bill, II 1t would not annul the
State laws.
1T will not annul them but will super
sede them, replied Mr.. Dolliver.
will the Senator from Iowa, with his
command Of language, tell us the differ
ence between annulling a statute and
superseding it9' inquired MIR, Bacon.
'To annul a statute Is to disregard II, TO
ignore II and render 1t dead letter, re-
piled Mr.. Dolliver, "but TO supersede 1t is
to overlay IL with greater Jurisdiction.
When the laughter had subsided Mr.. Bacon
remarked that the reply was clever, but
the distinction did not amount TO a differ
ence.'
Mr. Bacon declared that with the Federal
authorities usurping the powers OF the
States in such matters the great common
carrier corporations would come 20 Wash
ington and, by promises Of fat contributions
to political campaigns, would seek TO obtain
favorable legislation or immunity from
prosecution under existing statutes. He
made veiled reference to the spectacle
OF high Official in Washington inviting
a railroad corporation man to come to
Washington and commissioning him to
raise large sum Of money for use in the
campaign Of 1904 in New York.
will not the Senator name the high
oficial2' inquired Mr., Foraker,
1T is not necessary TO name him" replied
Mr.. Bacon. The incident is well known
and the name Of the railroad man is we'll
known
Il think the Senator from Georgia owes
It to the Senate to state that the high official
has denounced the story as untrue and
applied very ugly name to the man who
started IT, suggested Mr. Foraker in the
midst Of great laughter,
1t was at this point that the blind Senator
from Oklahoma secured recognition, and
waving a manuscript in the air asked that
il be read as being pertinent to the dis
cussion. The clerk read the copy Of
the letter from the desk disclosing the then
intimate relations Of the writer and Mr..
Hartman, and when the clerk read the
signature sonorously Theodore Roosevelt
Mr. Bacon looked embarrassed.
Il hope the Senate will acquit me Of the
responsibility of introducing that letter.
said Mr.. Bacon.
And the Senator from Georgia might
have added that it should never have been
introduced here nterposed Senator Gal
lnger.
sIagree with le Senatorf from New Hamp-
shire on that point replied Mr.. Bacon.
Il acquit both Senator'S said Mr. Gore.
Il accept full responsibility. Tie President
Of the United States ought not to write a
letter that he would not care TO have read
before the Senate or anywhere else