Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-21
THE HARTMAN FUND.


No one whose mind is open 10 evil
dence will doubt the truth Of ex-Gov-
ernor Odells statement of the circum
stances under which Mr. Roosevelt in
duced Mr.. Hartman TO raise quar-
ter OF a million dollars for the cleo
ton eight years ago, and Of the dis
position OF that fund. Oden undoubted-
ly is a more competent witness than
Sheldon, and his story agrees with
that written by Hartman to Webster,
says the Philadelphia Record.
Furthermore. the differences between
the Harriman-Odell story and the
decentralization story are unimport-
ant A little while before the election
in 1904. when the republican prospects
in New York were poor, Mr.. Roose-
welt asked Mr.. Hartman to come TO
see him, but recognizing that a visit
from Hartman at that time might oc-
casicn comment he left it to Mr.. Har-
riman eve are both practical men,
to come, or defer his coming, or not
come at all, according TO his best
judgment Of what was wisest
Roosevelt wanted 10 induce Mr.. Har-
riman TO 90 on the stump? Is it
likely that he wanted TO consult him
about any political combinations?
What could Mr.. Roosevelt have wished
TO consult Mr. Hartman about except
raising a campaign fund? And where
could he have expected Mr. Hartman
10 look for money? Certainly he didn't
expect Mr. Hartman TO appeal to the
Sunday schools for a collection or to
initiate a subscription Of a dollar
apiece from every workingman in the
state Of course Mr. Roosevelt could
only have desired to see Mr. Hartman
in regard to raising a large sum of
money from those Wall street interests
among which Mr.. Hartman was init
mate and influential
! Mr.. Roosevelt's story that the mon
| ey Hartman raised was used only in
/ the interest of the state ticket is irri-
/ tatingly childish. 1t is true that there
/ is sometimes a wide difference be-
tween the vote on the state and the
/ vote on the national ticket. Yet this
! is abnormal, and no sane man will be-
! lieve that Mr. Roosevelt felt perfectly
safe about himself and seriously appre.
hensive of the state ticket. Mr.. Roose-
welt was anxious for a republican vic
tory in New York for his own sake
as well as for that of the state ticket.
. The Reconsideration story is that
the Hartman fund was turned over
TO the state committee Mr. Odell
says it was paid to the national com
mittce, whose treasurer turned over
100000 of it to him. What differ.
ence does II make which of these stor
les is correct? The discrepancy is not
serious. But the men Hartman went
10 for money were far more interested
in the national than the state ticket
1t probably made very little difference
TO them whether the state ticket were
elected or not, but they were keenly
Interested in the national ticket
They were undoubtedly solicited &c
contribute to the national committee
and did so. and then the national com
mittee RENTED five-sixths Of the
amount to the state committee to en-
able It to meet the obligations tc
country chairmen already incurred
All OF the men concerned-and Thee
dore Roosevelt not least among them
know that il the republican state
ticket were defeated the republican ma
tional ticket would be seriously en-
dangered.
= There can be no doubt that Mr.. Odel
has told the true story. but If he wer,
= in error. as Mr.. Roosevelt says. tht
: main features of the incident would re
/ main indisputable Roosevelt appeal
ed TO Hartman to raise a large sum o
, money from the Wall street interest
. to save the republican party in New
York, where 1t was in jeopardy.