The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-07-18
SAYS he REFUSED
OFFER OF $4,000
Hitchcock Tells Senate Campaign
investigating Committee of
Du Point Contribution.
POWDER TRUST WAS THEN
UNDER FEDERAL ATTACK
Feared Acceptance Of Big Sum
Would Subject Cause to
Criticism.

Unless Gen. T. Coleman Du Point. Of
Delaware. has changed his mind re-
Gently. he has $4,000 that. in his opinion
ought to be devoted to some worthy
branch Of the Republican party. Gen
Du Pont wanted to give this $4,000 to
President Tafts campaign in 1908, blu,
Frank H. Hitchcock. who was then
chairman Of the Republican National
Compittee. declined to accept 1t and
turned the money back to Gen. Du Pont.
because the Federal government hap
pened to be suing the Powder Trust,
owned largely by the Du Points. Gen.
Du Point, however. declined TO turn this
$4,000 back into the general current of
his funds, and deposited 1t as an amount
that had been finally dedicated by him
to the Republican cause.
Mr.. Hitchcock told about this Du Point
incident while testifying to-day before
the Senate committee that Is investi-
eating campaign contributions.
There was one contribution that
recall" said Mr.. Hitchcock. .'of $4,000.
which was proffered by Gen. Du Pont. q
member of the executive committee. He
turned that money into the treasury.
and when I learned of II that day
sent for him and told him I did not
think We ought to accept any contribu-
ton from him, because the government
had a civil suit against the corporation
in which he was interested. I instructed
the treasurer to return the money, and
that was done"
Only Specific Refusal.
THAT is the only case" Mr.. Hitchcock
added, where We refused a contribu-
tor, s,, 1T 7 m
and then people would come and say
that they could get money from this or
that interest, and they would like to
contribute, and I always said. No: We
do not wish funds from sources Of that
kind. We do not want any corporation
money-any money that would subject
US to criticism
Senator Paynter, Democratic men,
Der of the committee, wanted to know II
Gen. Du Pont hadn't sought to con-
tribute the 10000 to the cause in some
other way.
Gen du Point talked over that
matter with me-" replied the Postmaster
General, "and said he felt that he was
not doing his share. He was a member
of the executive committee and a man
of means. and he was naturally very
anxious to help in a personal way in
the campaign. Ne asked me IL there was
any way in which he could make con-
tribution that / felt would be tusttfiable.
and / thought il would not be proper
for him to contribute it in any way, to
the State committee or otherwise"
so he did not contribute at all to the
asked Senator Jones. Z
sum Still on Deposit.
He did not contribute at all to the
replied Mr.. Hitchcock, and
II that fact 1 have personal knowledge,
because he discussed the matter with
ne since the campaign. and said that he
had put aside this sum because he had
turned it over to the treasurer. and when |
t was received back he placed it on de- |
Dosit, and some time after the campaign |
he told me that he had that sum still |
on deposit. ] felt that in the running |
Of the national campaign 1t would be
very Unwise, aside from its being i'm |
proper. TO take the chances of subjecting |
he management to any criticism; that |
[ would do very great deal of damage, |
more damage than could be offset by a |
arge amount of money, and We were |
careful to avoid anything of |
hat kind"
The figures which Mr.. Hitchcock gave |
o the Senate committee yesterday for |
he campaign of 1908 correspondent exact
he campaign publicity law. The Ma
ional Committee collected s1,655,51s, and
# this amount s620.150 was turned over
lirectly to the State committees, and |
lsed in the States without passing
through the headquarters of the Nation
j Committee.
Mr.. Hitchcock testified that every dol
ar disbursed for the Republican National
Committee in the campaign of 1903 was
Nxal flr .
nittee. The original books are still in |
existence and Mr.. Hitchcock was glad
C place them at the disposal of the
The national chairman de-
Jared that no contributions We're made
o the National Committee other than
s shown in the record filed at Albany
hortly after the campaign He &C.
of course, that contributions
we're made direct to State committees,
( which he had no detailed knowledge.
Organized in Each State.
Mr.. Hitchcock explained the machinery
through which the Republican National
Committee, under is leadership, collect
d its fund. 1t organized in each State
finance committee and Mr.. Hitchcock
ppointed the chairman of that COM
nittee.
81 did that" said he. $50 as to con-
rol the methods of collecting and re-
ording collections Each chairman was
equired to keep a record Of every con-
rtbution he received on account Of the
'ational Committee, and to preserve that
ecord for transmission to our treasurer.
q that in cases where the funds were
directly to the State chair
nan We received a detailed statement Of
there those funds originated"
Mr.. Hitchcock said that the committee
uring the Taft campaign had received
cry few large contributions. The most
them came at the outset Of the cam
align, before the system of collections
ad been put in operation
I'VE needed money Immediately to
-ganize our headquarters" said Mr.
itchcock, land to make our contracts ,
,r printing. 1t was very fortunate, ,
ierefore, that several friends of the
,rty could step forward and make gener-
rs contributions, which they did. Mr.. ,
P. Taft contributed at the outset SO,-
D: Mr.. William Nelson Cromwell con- ,
ibuted SIS. 900; Mr.. and Mrs. Larz Ander- ]
N gave $4,000. and that made 100000 !
at we had at the opening of the cam ,