The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-12-02
ROUGH ON ROOSEVELT.
Barker's Story May he Lie. But Ii
Closely Fits Events from
1865 to 1909

Washington. Dec. 2.-Before the SEN
ate committee on interstate commerce.
which is investigating the trust prob
lem, Wharton Barker of Philadelphia,
for many years a banker and student
OF economics of international reputa-
tion, made the following statement:
That four weeks before the presi-
Dental election Of 1904 a great New
York fnancier now dead. whom he
did not name but who was easily rec
ogniZed as Edward II. Hartman. told
him that the money power had intend
. ed to elect Alton r. Parker to the
White House. but had made a deal with
Theodore Roosevelt and had deserted
Parker.
That this deal involved the election
Of Roosevelt as president through the
support of the money power and. on
the hint of Roosevelt, included the pur
suit of an administration policy by
which the trust problem was to be
kept in the background and railroad
legislation, which in the end was to
he favora bic to the railroads. was to be
put to the front.
That he told the financier who gave
him this information Harriman) that
he did not believe it. but that after
the election of Roosevelt and the for
! Tnulat tion of his policy he wrote the
president that he now had come 10 be
lieve IL.
Once n Candidate for President
Mr. Barker, who is now sixty-nve
years old, was born a Quaker in Phil
adelphfa and has been a figure in many
notable international transactions in
finance. He is reported to be very
g.
full expansion of business as opposed
! to the concentration plan Of the trusts.
Mr.. Barker declined to be seated
when he appeared before the commit
tee, but remained standing. with his
hands clasped behind his back. With
/ a mass Of whitening hair and a broad
face showing few marks of age, the
famous economist said he would make
some historical revelations for the first
time. They had never been published
and he had told them IN confidence to
not more than half a dozen close
friends.
-Four weeks before the presidential
election Of 1904" he said, Il was walk
| ing along a street in New York when
| 7 met a great money king-one stand
| ing in the front rank, now dead but
| whose name may be guessed by all
present. He told me with the utmost
| seriousness that a deal had been made
/ TO elect Roosevelt and reject Parker
that they had frightened Roosevelt so
/ he had made a bargain with them"
| Mr.. Barker seemed to read incredu1-
! ity in the faces of some Of the mem
bers of the committee.
! 81 wish Mr. Roosevelt were here" he
| said.
II wish he We're" said Senator Town
send 1T would be interesting.
| Add Over 5000, 100000 to Freight
Charges
"The agreement by which Roosevelt
was to be made president by election
Mr.. Barker continued. was based on
an understanding that railroad legisla-
! tion should be made the prominent fea-
/ ture of his nistration, instead of
i trusts and currency reform. It was
agreed, so this New York financier told
him. that he might roar and below all
| he pleased, but in the end a railroad
measure would be brought in by rec
ommendation of the president cutting
| off rebates and free passes. which
suits us. who own the railroads, per-
mittfng the railroads to make poolin G
arrangements and providing maximum
! rates."
! The railroad men added. said Mr.
Barker, that under the latter author
ity it would be possible to add from
$500 100000 to $4,000 O.O0O to the
freight charges paid by the American
public.