Evening star., 1912-10-04
Can't Recall All Letters.

ing that he knew OF any Standard Oil
contribution to the 1904 campaign at the
time 1t was made.
Can't Recall All Letters.
IN the first place. gentlemen. since L
was elected Governor Of New York-that
is about fourteen years agoI have writ
ten and signed about 100000 letters. 80
it IS not possible at once to recall all the
letters l have written on any given sub
ject -
4. Looking through my letter books since
wrote my recent letter to Senator Clapp.
have found two other letters bearing on
- the subject Of campaign contributions.
One was the letter to Cornelius n. Bliss
in 1905. which. / understand, was recent
!, ly given to your committee; the other
) letter written in 1908 to George r. Shell
: dom
: Roosevelt turned to his assistants to
ask for his letter book.
: Letter Used as Exhibit.
: The stenographer beside the colonel
: delved among the papers and letter books
: In the big grip, while the committee and
: the spectators craned their necks. The
! colonel finally found the letter he sought,
) and. stepping down from the witness
: chair. he handed the letter to Senator
Clapp; who had it placed in the record as
an exhibit.
Col. Roosevelt. will you read the let
- ter! asked Senator Clapp, and the col
onel read: The letter was dated Septem-
Der II, 1908, and was addressed to George
X. Sheldon, treasurer of the republican
campaign committee. 1t read, in part:
:, 4 am informed that you or some one
on behalf of the national committee has
been soliciting contributions from corpo-
rations, particularly John .. .Archbold
and the Standard Oil Company. If this is
true, wish te enter a vigorous protest
>, and say that not only should such con-
ftrroutIon be refused. but that if made 1t
Should be Immediately returned"
Sets Forth His Policy.
+ The letter set forth that -four years
ago Mr.. Cortelyou refused all contribu-
tions' from corporations which were be-
ing prosecuted or were likely to be prose-
cuted, and that Col Roosevelt wished
the same course followed in the 1905 cam
paign.
Col. Roosevelt read also the letter of
October 26. 1904. to Chairman George B.
Cortelyou. in which he directed that if
any money. had been contributed by the
Standard Oil Company or John d. Arch
bold it should be returned at once. This
letter. he said, had been referred to and
partly quoted in his recent letter to Sem
ator Clapp. 1t was an emphatic declara-
tion to Mr.. Cortelyou that I'VE cannot
under any circumstances afford to take
a contribution that might be construed as,
placing us under an obligation.
Col. Roosevelt said he had also found
that on October q. 1904 he had sent an
extra telegram to Chairman George B.
Cortelyou. which he had only recently
found. 1t was dated Oyster Bay and
referred to his letter of October &c to
Mr.. Cortelyou, demanding. return of the
Standard Oil Company contribution.
Offers the Originals.
Col. Roosevelt shufled his papers and
ran through his letter books. and offered
the committee the originals of all the
letters he had sent Chairman Clapp or
had read into the record.
We'll take your word for that" said
Senator Oliver. and Col. Roosevelt re-
turned to the witness chair.
+! He said that he knew of no other let
ters bearing on this subject, and had
practically. forgotten the Sheldon letter
until he came across 1t in searching his
flies.
Now in regard to the Hartman
fund.-" began Senator Clapp.
Col. Roosevelt interrupted and asked to
! explain the. charges that. have been
| ! I!,. made" IN regular order, end Chairman
|, There is NO. testimony Against me ex-
eept in the form Of hearsay evidence"
he said: hearsay statements of men that
stSs'Mr. Arcfibolds and ,Ar. Penrose MR.
port to give statements Of what Mr. Bliss
had to say, Mr.. Bliss is dead. Mr. Odell
and the other gentlemen refer to state
ments made by Mr.. Hartman. who is
dead"
Col. Roosevelt said he had intended to
bring his private secretary into the con-
troversy. but that as the committee had
already determined to call William Loeb
jr.. he had asked Mr.. Loeb to bear out
his statements.
-
Explains sibley Incident.
May speak of letter published in
Hearsts Magazine from Congressman
: Sibley,' said the colonel. "It is a letter
which in substance states that Sibley
came to-see me- and spoke to me about
seeing Mr.. Archbold. and 1 said / would
be delighted to see him, and asked Mr.
Sibley to bring Mr.. Archbold to lunch
don't remember ever having talked to
Mr.. Sibleye about this matter, but it is
very possible may have done So ANY
invitation that I may have extended was
the result OF request by Mr.. Sibley. /
always saw any man brought to me by
member of Congress or a senator
Col Roosevelt said that he did not re-
about ArchboSl
He said Senator Bourne had been
brought by MIR. Archbold to lunch once
at Oyster Bay.
All Given Hearing.
While / was President" said Col
Roosevelt leaning forward "if any
man-trust nagnate. socialist, lawyer
clergyman-had any business with me
and wanted to see me. I gladly saw
him. And IL l thought that there was
anything to be gained from the stand
point Of the public service in seeing
any man. then, without waiting for
him to ask. I would send for him. If
am elected President a year hence
il Mr.. Rockefeller or any one else
wants to see me I'll see him and
moreover. if / have anything to ask
. for the public service from Mr. Rock
ejfel1er. j. p. Morgan or any one else
III send for him.
Col. Roosevelt instanced his past
practice of following out this policy
by saying that during his last admin
stration he sent for James Hill, the
y Pierpont Morgan said he. AT
currency questions.
AT this moment some of the same
newspapers that are carrying comments
on TIE sur posed fact that ] sent for Mr..
l. .ATchbold. sai5 Col Roosevelt. ARE COM
rneniing on the fact that / also sent for a
: - a.ist. AR. BlU.ere. 10 help me draw
: s.p ry platfcrs?.
.''.,s to AR Pruvern." he addC,i chuc.
king. they We're right.
p..;~o E.o.-forc u;c Huecxc