The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-07
Republican Treasurer Is Quizzed
 By the President
EMPTY TREASURY RELIEVED
Sheldon Issues Official Statement anu Declares That Roosevelt Has the Fullest Confidence In Hitch
 cocks Management.

Washington, October 6.--(Special.)- Summoned to Washington by the Presi- dent to lay before him complete and de- tailed information concerning the repub- lican campaign fund, Treasurer George s. Sheldon of the republican national com mittee arrived here today. Sheldon comes to Washington in lieu of Chairman Hitch cock, who informed the President that Sheldon is the man to see, that if the committee could raise a sufficient amount of money there would be an end to the constant complaint and pickering going on within the republican ranks. Hitch cock contends that all the trouble which has faced the party within the past six weeks is based upon lean purse, and if this condition were remedied there would be something like harmony forthcoming. Hitchcock accordingly went on to Chicago and Sheldon to Washington. Sheldon was able to report to the President the good news that he had heretofore received from Secretary of State Root, viz: That the committee would not have to repudiate its debts and was not now in a state of bankruptcy, that the patriotic malefactors
  and while there wasn't money to burn there was some smoke When MT. Shell don left the White House he issued this statement:
 "The President asked me to come over and lunch or dine with him two or three weeks ago. but the duties of my position have made it impossible for me to come until now.
 we went carefully over the general situation.
 "On his authority, as well as from my own knowledge, I can say most positively that the relations between him and MT. Hitchcock are of the closest and most friendly character, that MT. Hitchcock has his entire confidence, and that the President heartily approves of the manner in which MT. Hitchcock is managing the campaign and I may add the President is entirely confident of the result
 While this statement came from Mir. Sheldon it was given out at the White House. and is therefore quasi-official in character. It seems to place at rest the rumors that Hitchcock will be forced by the old-line party leaders to give up the management of the campaign, the Presi- dent through Sheldon making it plain that he is satisfied with Hitchcocks work, the trouble resting entirely upon the fact that campaign money has not been as abund- ant as usual, owing principally to the fear of detection. It was generally reported in Washington this afternoon that the Presi- dent. Secretary Root and Treasurer Shell don were about to execute the biggest coup of the campaign by immediately publishing the names of the subscribers to the republican campaign fund and the amounts given by each.
 MT. Sheldon did not seem to know any thing about the story, and was inclined to believe that the course laid down by the President and Secretary Taft pro- viding for publication after the election would be followed. Reports from all over the country are to the effect that the at tacks being made by MT. Bryan along this line are putting the republicans in a very embarrassing attitude. It is q very difficult matter to make an intelligent public believe that contributions from proper sources should not be published before the election, though the public can readily understand why there should be concealment in cases of improper cam paign funds.
 Mir. Sheldon said upon leaving the White House that the policy for publicity has been somewhat of hindrance'' for many wealthy persons do not wish it known that they are making large contri- buttons for any purpose whatever.