Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-18
Postmaster General Hitch
cock, Chairman at That
Time, Says Dupont Con-
tribution Was Refused.
MILLION AND A HALF
COLLECTED ALL TOLD
Half Million of This Amoun,
Was Expended by State
Committees; Steel and
Harvester Co. Not Givers

ul0Ster General Frank II. Hitchcock
today told the senate committee in.
vestigatlng campaign contributions Of
1904 and 1908 that the record OF the
funds in President Taft's election as
fled In Albany. N. Y. was absolutely
correct and that he could not supple-
ment these reports by testimony n
Mr.. Hitchcock said the total col.
lected through various agencies OF the
committee In 1908 was $1,655,51S.27.
OF this amount $62O,15O was collected
IN various states and handled blythe
local state committees. The latter. sum
never was turned into the treasury
OF the republican national COMMITTEES
although that committee kept account
Of 1t.
Mr.. Hitchcock promised to furnish
the Investigating committee with
copies OF the financial records OF the
campaign.
DUPONT Contribution Returned.
No contribution was received from
. corporation, Mr. Hitchcock said, be-
cause congress bad just passed. law
prohibiting 1t. He told OF the only
near contribution he conld 4semembNr
having rejected. eTs s " 4sS sESs
r II was offered bv General IT. cole.
man DUPONT OF Delaware, then q
member OF the republican executive
committee, actively assisting in the
management Of the campaign, and
amounted to 100000.
He turned It over to the treasurer,
George H. Sheldon" began Mr.. Hitch
cock. when learned OF 1t told Mr..
DUPONT | did not think he could ac-
cept It because the government had
civil suit against corporation In
which he was interested. / instructed
the treasurer to return It, and he did
sO."
Mr.. Hitchcock said General Dupont
declared he felt he was not doing his
part and asked II he could not give the
money In some way Mr.. Hitchcock
said he replied in the negative.
II am positive he did not contribute
| 1t to any other fund" he added, "be-
cause have talked to General Du.
Pont about it since the campaign. He
said that when the fund was returned
he considered he had given 1t to a
cause and placed 1t on special deposit"
1T may come in handy" remarked
Senator Oliver, aside.
"Is he Roosevelt man?" inquired
Senator Paynter.
The question was unanswered. Mr..
Hitchcock insisted that with the ex-
ception Of about twenty-five all the
contributions were below $4,000.
1--WE figured that the more persons
we could get to invest the more In
terest they would take in the success
Of the venture explained the former
chairman.
sone Big Contributions.
Before the system OF collecting
money by finance committees organ.
lied in each state was put into oper-
alton. Mr.. Hitchcock said. fortunately"
friends Of the party came forward
with large contributions.
The first friends" he mentioned In
that connection were Charles P. TAFT,
brother Of President Taft, who con-
trtbuted $4,000; William Nelson
Cromwell, $4,000; Mr.. and Mrs. Larz
Anderson, s25,o00: Andrew Carnegie,
$50, 900; William Smith Cochrane, $15.-I
900; Frank Munsey. $4,000: White
law Reid, $4,000; M. c. Borden, 310-
900, and General Corbin for number
OF persons, $4,000.
''Dtd the tobacco trust contributor
inquired Senator Paynter.
mo, sir"
ANY Of its stockholders"
"Not to my knowledge. know by
name those chiefly interested and do
not have any knowledge OF such con-
tributions being received"
ANY from stockholders OF the steel
corporation?
II believe some OF the men l have
mentioned are interested in 1t. think
Mr.. Munsey is."
"And Mr.. Cochrane?" suggested
Senator Oliver.
"Yes, sir"
Harvester People Not Contributors.
Senator Paynter asked Mr.. Hitch
cock If he were acquainted with any
of the stockholders of the Interna-
tional Harvester Co. He said he knew
the McCormicks Frank Munsey, Geo.
Perkins and Clarence 8. Funk.
did Mr. Perkins contributor" ask
ed the senator.
II do not think So"
! did the McCormicks?
''Not that remember. They would
be more likely to contribute to your
|party, sir"