Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-30
L|TTLELEARNED
FROM TESTIMONY
Of c. n. BLISS, JR.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

CONTINUED from F1rSt faSe.)
because regard the relations of cam
paign contributions to party committees
as confidential believe the right TO
refuse to make public these contributions
is as sacred as the right of q man to cast
secret ballot in the election"
The letter added that the republican
committees receipts in 1900 had been "a
trifle below 100000 in 1895, $3.5OO.O0O,
and in 1892 81, 100000.
Mr. Bliss, asked il he had found any
ether documents bearing on campaign
contributions said that he had discovered
three letters of personal, and more or
less intimate nature. These he handeo
to Chairman Clapp.
One of the letters was from President
Roosevelt: another from William H.
Taft as Secretary Of War.
l The committee suspended its inquiry
for few minutes While the members
read the letters privately.
Senator Clapp had these letters placed
in the record as exhibits. They were
not read aloud and their contents were
not divulged at the time. Later, however,
the contents of the letters became known.
No Other Documents.
Mr.. Bliss said that he had no other
documents and no recollection Of any
conversations with his father which
would throw any light on the subjects
! under investigation.
The letter from Secretary Taft, writ
| ten May g. 1904, urged Mr.. Bliss to take
| the Craftsmanship of the national COM
mittee, saving President Roosevelt was
most anxious" for 1t. and adding that
| as Chairman Bliss would secure the
confidence of those from whom contrlpu-
| tons may be expected that the money
will be in every respect carefuiiy nus
ho, cd nd oynandpd oO!V Tor leg1tnlaIe
campaign purposes. :,
The letter from President Roosevelt.
dated May 6, 1904, likewise urged Mr..
Bliss to take the committee chairman
ship and outlined the work he would be
| expected to do in Conducting campaign
headquarters.
The third letter dated March rs. 1906
written by President Roosevelt from the
White House to Mr.. Bliss in New York,
| made specific denial that he had ever
been influenced for or against any per-
sons or interests as a result or contr1bu-
tons to the 1904 campaign.
Mr. Bliss said that his father had never
discussed campaign contributions with
him in any detailed way.
Under examina ton by Senator Paynter.
Mr.. Bliss said that his father had said
that he allowed the books of the treas
urer.s office of the republican national
committee to be destroyed because he,
the elder Bliss believed the records USE
less.
These records. he said, contained the
names and amounts given by vari-
Gus contributors. The witness did not
know who destroyed them. Mr.. Bliss
said his father had told him Of the de-
struction of the books during his last ill
ness.
No One Had Access to Books.
DO you know of any one who had ac-
cess to or assisted in the keeping Of these
books?" asked Senator Pomerene.
NO." said Mr.. Bliss.
Mr. Bliss said he had talked over this
matter with George X. Sheldon, who sue
| ceeded the elder Bliss as treasurer. The
witness did not know whether Mr. Shell
don was associated with his father in his
work as treasurer.
The witness could not remember hav-
| ing talked with his father about the
| much discussed observation-disclosures
dollar Standard Oil Company contribu-
tons. Senator Pomerene examined Mr..
Bliss rather vigorously and the young
| man at times appeared trifle nettled.
He snapped sharp. clear replies at the
senator and at times Indignantly de-
clared:
| IL have already answered that
| He said that he himself. since his
| fathers death, had destroyed great
many of the papers left by the elder
| Bliss.
Il know of nothing that I destroyed
| that could in any way assist this COM
| mittee.' he declared emphatically.
| A vigorous cross-examinatlon failed to
shake this statement.
| At II % o'clock Mr. Bliss was excused
| and William H. Libby of New York, for
| eign representative of the Standard Oil
Company. was called and sworn.
Acted as an Advisor.
| Mr.. Libby said for the last ten years
he had been acting in an advisory ca
| pacity to the Standard Oil Company
| in New York.
| Chairman Clapp asked Mr.. Libby if
| his attention had been called to the
| series of articles appearing in the
Hearst Magazine regarding Standard
Oil Company affairs. He admitted 1t
| had.
| Have you anything to do with ad-
vising about legislative affairs?'
| "Only as to tariff matters, when it
was threatene to exempt the Standard
Oil Company from the protective
tariff" said Mr.. Libby.
1.-THE campaign of 1905 foreshadowed a
tariff revision" suggested Senator Clapp;
what interest did your company take
| in that campaign?
Nothing that know of in the way of
contributions" said Mr.. Libby
What do you know about the 1904 cam
paign?"
II was informed by Mr.. H. H. Rogers
that In 1904 the Standard Oil Company
made a very large contribution to the
republican national campaign fund"
| MIR. Libby said he knew nothing per-
sonally about this contribution, except
what Mr.. Rogers had told him. He had
/ not been told the amount, hee said-When.
by whom or to whom it was made
i