The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-17
dation. never went to Senator PIa;s
to ask his approval of the applica-
Calls story Pure Invention.

Urls SGOry fur0 invention.
"The whole story about my calling
upon him OH March II or on any other
day, whether with John Jacob Astor
or anybody else. is pure invention. AS
soon as / saw the book, / wrote to
Astor, and have now received his let
ter. dated December Ia. In it he says
that at the outbreak of the Spanish
war introduced him to the secretary
of war and to several members of
congress. among them may or may
not have been Senator Platt. but that
never at that time. or previously,
saw Senator Platt with him about my
appointment as assistant secretary of
the navy.
1T Is rather singular that Senator
Platt should have imagined such an
int,rview. and 1t shows how much his
mind was failing when the reminis-
cences were written. Let me repeat
that the account, as given by Senator
Platt. of this interview Is absolutely
that neither while I was with Astor,
nor with any one else. did ever have
any such conversation with him or
make such a call upon him as Is there
in related.
by the way. the whole statement
about contributions Is equally without
foundation. never called upon Sem
ator Plat with Governor Odell on any
such errand. nor had any such con-
versation with Senator Platt
II do not desire to have this letter
published because 1t is not worth while
going into the public press on such a
matter. but l think it hest that you
should know the facts in the case.
Sincerely yours.
Theodore Roosevelt"
MIR. Lang wrote to Albert H. Howe.
for seventeen years secretary to the
senator. stating the Roosevelt denial.
and asking for statement. Mr..
Howe's' letter is. in rftsrt, as follows:
Secretary ContrxiIicts- Colonel.
Il have read your autobiogra phical
sketch of Senator Platt's life and par
tfcularly that portion of the addenda
relating to the appointment of Col.
Roosevelt to the assistant secretary
ship Of the navy. and in response to
your specific inquiry have to say that
the story as You have told 1t accords
pany Col. Roosevelt to Senator Platt' s
parlor for the purpose of soliciting
the latter's Endorsement of Col. Roose-
velt for that position. The circum-
stances are most clearly Impressed
upon my mind"
Later Mr.. Lang asked the privilege
OF publishing Col Roosevelt's letter
to which Col. Roosevelt replied. under
date of Dec. 81. 1911:
II desire that nv letter should not
be published at present simply because
It Is not worth while to get into pub
lie controversy. AS I have told YOU,
have letter from Col. Astor stating
that he never saw Senator Platt about
my being assistant secretary of the
navy. None of the incidents to which
l referred in my first letter are re-
lated accurately or truthfully by SEN
ator Platt. but think his mind was
failing. and do not accuse him of in
territorial untruth"
The campaign contribution story to
which Mr.. Roosevelt took exception
was not that reciting how E. H. Harri-
man at his solicitation raised $4,000
In 1904 to save his election as presi-
dent. and that of Higgins as governor.
Mr.. Roosevelt referred to Senator
Platt's story of how he had saved
Roosevelt's election for governor in
1898 by securing from j. Pierpont
Morgan. Thomas r. Ryan, William G.
Whitney and three others at the
eleventh hour 100000