The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-12-07
AFTER COLONEL ROOSEVELT.

The public viii recall an incident OF
the campaign between Judge Alton b.
Parker and Colonel Theodore Roose--
welt for the presidency, in 1904, which
involved the integrity of these two
great leaders of their respective par
ties. The former had given out .
statement charging that Wall Street
financiers and other big interests were
supporting Mr.. Roosevelt for constd-
GRAFTON, when the Colonel broke out In
a terrible rage denouncing the charge
as wiIfuHy maliciously false. Unfor-
tunately Judge Parker did not have
positive evidence in his possession to
sustain his contentious and Mr.. Roose-
yelt's vigorous denial was allowed to
stand unchalIenged. But awhile after
the election the Colonel became inVolV-
ed in controversy with Mr.. Harrt-
man, the great New York railroad mag
nate, which revealed the exact pre-
election trade agreement suggested by
Judge Parker during the campaign.
IL was in April 1907 a letter from E.
II. Hartman to Sydney Webster, APP
peared in the public prints admitting
that Mr. Hartman had responded to
Mr.. Roosevelt's appeal for help three
years previous, by making personal
contribution of $4,000 and raising an
additional $15e,00o to. save New York.
Mr.. Hartman went on to state that
MIR Roosevelt had called him to the
white House for a conference and
agreed to protect his interests, in re-
turn for the service he promised to
render: The result was, stated MI.
Hartman. chat at least $4,000 votes
were turned from the democratic can
1idate in New York City alone, making
a difference of 100000 in the net re-
sult." Mr.. Hartman has since died,
but at least one of his admirers still
lives to the plain discomfort OF the
Colonel. This gentleman is Wharton
Barker, retired banker of Philadel-
mia. who recently testified before the
senate committee on the Interstate
commerce committee to facts substan-
tally as outlined above in Mr. Harrl-
mans letter to Sydney Webster. In
review of the Barker testimony, which
ia a strong indictment against the ex'
President, the New, York. World has
this: A..Ts'le'AS = fsFtis u Ss''
"That a financier, identified as Il
II. Hartman, told him the money pow
rhad made deal with Roosevelt foui
weeks before the 1904 election.
THAT an understandingswas reached
nv which Parker-who was to be sup
ported by the interests had been re
iected and support thrown ito Roose
yeItt on the agreement that railroad
measure suitable to Big Business
should be passed, which would perm
TRANSPORTATION companies to tax
from $500 5000 to $4OO,OOO'
900 more from the people each year Z
Justify oyercapitalization and pay olV
idends on watered stock. That his In
formant told him Roosevelt was T.
soar and below all he pleased Du
nv and by a railroad bilE was to D
brought in by recommen dation CT tn
president.
"Then when Roosevelt's annual mes
sage of 1905 went to congress ne re
commended most of the measure
spoken of by Hartman.
'sThat Roosevelt in throwing tn
public money into Wall Street IN tn
1907 panic broke the; country, pu
saved the gamblers
"That the Aldrich currency reforI
ulau was invented by Paul "a. war
burg. of Kuhn, Loeb g. Co.. and Woul
strengthen the money ofgarchy tns
controls in New York, and from Ina
point the entire country.
"That the interests are contribufHn
81, 100000 to the propaganda TO gal
it's adoption.
"That the money trust controls a
lines of finance, industry and trans
portation and that no legislation dt
signed to break up the trusts woul
strike at the root Of the trouble:
Mr.. Roosevelt undertakes to brus
the Barker statements aside, by tern
ing them as sort of pipe dream
hut it will take more than fippant r.
ferences thereto to satisfy the Ame'
lean people. 1t will be remembers
that he did talk loudly against the II
terests, but the latter got Ehat the
wanted just the same. Now e day I
reckoning has come.
French authorities are planning
gantic aerial war ships 20 carry 81