New-York tribune., 1911-12-28
AGAIN ASSA|LS THE POST
Roosevelt Declares Paper Guilty
Of "MoraI 0bIiquity."
SAYS PHRASE WAS OMITTED
Ex- President Again Goes Into
Detail Regarding Correspond
ence with Sheldon.

Theodore Roosevelt returned TO his at
tack on The Evening Post" YESTERDAY In
statement given TO the newspaper men he
emphasized his original charge that The
POST had knowingly misrepresentcd the
interview he gave reporter of that news
paper, following the publication of the
correspondence between him and George II.
Sheldon, treasurer of the Republican Ma
tional Committee. In reference to the Har-
riman campaign fund.
Mr. Roosevelt I'm his statement of ycster-
day declares The Evening Post" was
guilty Of IAN objectionable piece of moral
obliquity' in suppressng in its published
interview phrase in which he said that
he was substantially" or in essentials
in accord with Mr.. Shedon's explanation
regarding the publication of the correspond
cnce.
Mr. Roosevelts statement follows:
What purports to be my statements made
in The Evening Post" were not taken
down by the reporter and 50 are not
verbally accurate, excepting the brief state
ment which The Evening Post published
on Saturday which was taken down. But,
according TO The Evening Posts own
statement now printed, 1 expressly stated
that what | had TO say agreed with MI.
sheldon ) statement. THE Evening Post
omitted what / was very careful TO insert,
that in the essentials, or substantially, /
agreed with Mr.. Sheldons statement, and L
pointed out the one or two unimportant
Gisagreements, such as whether we met IN
a train or at the Union League club. CAS-
d matter of fact my memory Is that We
The purpose of THE Evening Post" was,
evidently, in the first place. to show that
stead OF on Mr. Sheldons, and in the next
place TO try to show some contradiction
between Mr. Sheldon aud myself: 1t was
iOr the reason, that, as The Evening lOst
now itself admits, ! explicitly stated that
what | had TO say, that is, my memory Ot
the events, agreed substantially or essen
TALLY with what MIR. Sheldon had said. al
though The Evening Post Is careful 70
omit this word substantially or III
essentials" which | was careful 10 put III;
If The Post had been content TO ten
without asserting the falsehood that con
trsdicted Mr.. Sheldon, then there Would
have been no need Of inserting my cNpllcl,
statement that essentially my statement
famous TO omit this statement and At the
same time use sentences ana hcdquncs
which conveyed the impression that nag
accused Mr. Sheldon Of falsehood. sc II
remembered that the statement that 'lhc
Evening Post" published was az follows.
Mr. Sheldon asked me why the truth
had not been stated. and very kindly vol,
unteered to make tho statement, too
him ! much appreciated his courtesy and
would be glad 10 have him do so.
Mr.. Roosevelt then goes on 10 say that in
his original statement he explicitly set
forth that tho initiative in making the
correspondence public came from Mr.. Shell
don lie continues:
Mr. Sheldon in his interview stated that
this statement of mine was absolutely cor
rect. and added what was also apsoIutel|
correct-that he had offered me the CORE
,,Ilf In l.
look" and that ] had then asked him 10
publish it IN the press instead.
Mr. Sheldon stated the exact fact thst
our memories were in agreement as 10 the
transaction. In eudca voring TO back up us
false statement that 7 had contradlcteh MI;
Sheldon, or, in its own phra.Sse.0,IIogy ma, haI
put him in the Ananias club, The Post
thus WAS guilty Of what 1t at the une
knew 10 be deliberate and vilfu untruth.
II 1t asd made no such false assertion II
Would nave been unReGessa%ry % ,,@@,or% -, ss t
the facts agreed substantially with Mr..
Sheldon'S statement.
But II was an unpardonaoi!c. !.r, piece oi
moral otliquity OF 7nc part or THE Even
inE Post" and, am sorry TO say, char
acteristc piece of moral obhquity, 10. sup
press this statement I'm order 10 work de-
cepton an6 10 create the belief by its own
statements and headlines that there was an
issue Of veracity between Mr. Sheldon and
myself.
10 language can be too strong in de-
nouncing such action AS this Of The Even
ing POST Let me repeat that the quota
tions The Evening POST now gives of my
conversation are not verbally accurate, ana
represent merely the reporters memory.
Thus | did not use the word published
about Mr.. sheldon, but the word write.
although / attach not the slightest imror-
tance To the distinction, as, of course, the
letters were written for publication.
The Evening Post last night. I'm its re-
Ply TO Mr.. Roosevcits statement said:
Tho Evening Post" will not handy cpl
thetS with Mr. Roosevelt nor say what is
"chara cteristic' I'm him. II merely asserts
" hat IL set forth at length yesterday hat
there is no truth i'm his charge that il Sup
pressed" or omitted" a single word Of the
statement which hc dictated 10 its reporter
All that he authorized il TO publish it did
publish without the alteration of a syllable