New-York tribune., 1911-02-21
.R||S DEFENDS ROOSEVELT
His Defamers "DamnabIe LARS"
He Writes Connecticut Editor.
LEAVING DAMNING TO MAKER
Says Lies Published by Wall
Street in Last Campaign JUS
titled Any Language.
[Ry telegraph 70 The Tribune ]


Bristol, Conn, Feb. 20.-Charles H.
Riggs, an old newspaper editor OF this
town, and one Of Mr.. Roosevelt's most
earnest admirers, became tired Of hear
ing disagreeable stories about Mr.. Roose-
welt and wrote to Jacob A. Riis asking
if they had any f. undation in fact. Mr.
Riggs intends to write an article on
Roosevelt and Rooseveltism," and In
order to get certain stories settled AT
first hand sent Mr.. Riis the following
letter on February IL:
AS you have been long acquainted and
on intimate terms with Theodore Roose-
Welt, | now write TO you for Information
upon a certain point. You are. OF course
aware that Mr.. Roosevelt. by his ex-
treme activity and, Il might add. by his
extreme language during last falls cam
paign. alienated many Of his former ad-
mirers.
Indeed the result of the elections in
New York and some other states Is re-
garded as direct and deserved rebuke
of "Rooseveltism." But, in addition to
this i'll advised political course on his
part, as so many regard it. the report
has gone abroad that he is intemperate,
or, at least, a large user OF intoxicants;
also, that a member Of his family is
sot.
| take no stock in these stories. but
If untrue | would like an authoritative
denial of them from some one that
knows and whose word can be depended
upon. Believing that you know whether
or not there is any ground for the re-
ports. | wish you would frankly tell me
tn facts.
Personally. I am still an admirer or
Mr.. Roosevelt and a believer in his poll
cies. and I am far from thinking that
his usefulness in the political field Is at
an end. Hoping to hear from you very
soon.
The reply, sent -four days later by Mr..
Riis, was made public this afternoon by
Mr.. Riggs and proved one OF the liveliest
specimens of all around hot stuff letter
writing seen here in generations, and has
created unbounded comment in this Sec
ton. 1t was conceded tonight in this
portion of the state that Mr.. Eoosevelt's
stock was on the rise, as many had be-
gun to believe some of the stories cir
cuated about the eX-President. Mr..
Riiss letter follows:
regret that there are SO many unin-
telligent people in this country of ours.
How any one can regard the result Of
the elections when half the country rose
ND and struck out for the very principles
for which Mr.. Roosevelt is contending as
a blow at him, has always been a puzzle
to me- About the result in New York
there is just this to say, that but for
Roosevelt going in where he knew de-
feat was coming, the majority against
the Republican ticket would have been
like the old Cleveland majorities-2O0. 600
to 300. 600 The 5000 was a rebuke to
the gang that opposed Hughes, and
traded i'm votes as in cattle, the very
gang which Mr.. Roosevelt smashed.
| was abroad during the campaign, and
know nothing OF his Incorporate lam
guage. but | read the newspapers, and
the lying they did was enough to pro-
woke an honest man to worse things
than language. however strong.
The lies were paid for. of course, by
the moneyed interests i'm Wall street.
These started the drunken" le too. as
I happen to know, for old General
Howard not long before his death wrote
10 me that two Wall Street acquaint-
ances had assured him that President
Roosevelt was drunk every night in the
White House" If you can put me on
the track of any one circulating these
stories. you will be rendering a service
to your day.
The devils. They said Cleveland was
a sot--Grant, Queen Victoria. And now
they invade even Roosevelt's family to
seek victim. What do you think OF
them. anyway? 1t Is anything TO dis
credit the man who stands for the peo-
pie and the peoples rights. Washington
was tyrant. a despot; Lincoln a clown
a failure; Roosevelt, a sot: and you
wonder at "intemperate language"
Roosevelt drinks just about as much as
LYMAN Abbott. and the Lord has spared
him the grief the vile slanderers hunt
in his family circle.
| would advise YOU to meet any one of
them that you come across with the fat
declaration that he Is a damnable liar
| was going to say a damned liar. but
will leave him to his Maker. who will
know how 10 deal with him more effect
ually than any earthly judge. 1t is the
existence of such Shiny. crawling things
on earth that brings one back 10 the be-
lief I'm the traditional birthstone pit as
the only it place for them.
DR.. A. S. ASHMEAD DIES.
Philadelphia, Feb. 9o.-Dr Albert Sydney