Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-01

that could in any way assist this com
mittee,' he declared emphatlcaily.
A vigorous cross examination oy
Senator Pomerene failed to shake MS
statement.
Mr.. Bliss then was excused n
William H. Libby of New YORK.
foreign representative of the
Oil Co., was sworn In.
Liberty Is Questioned.
Chairman Clapp asked Mr.. LIBBY II
he had anything to do with advising
the company about legislative affairs:
"Only as to tariff matters, when 1t
was threatened to exempt the
dard OIL Co., from the protective
tariff" replied Mr.. Libby.
"The campaign Of 1908 foreshadow-
ed a tariff revision" suggested Sena-
tor Clapp, what interest did your
company take In that campaign
Nothing that I know of in the way
of contributions" said Mr.. Libby. Il
was informed by p. n. Rogers that in
1904 the Standard Oil Co., made a
very large contribution to the repub-
lican national campaign funds" he
added but said he knew nothing per-
sonally about it. He had not been
told the amount, he said, when, by
whom or to whom 1t was made. He
knew of no contribution other that he
had heard mentioned by Mr.. Rogers.
The committee decided that Ormsby
McHarg, contest manager for Col.
Roosevelt at the Chicago convention,
should not be heard today. Mr.. Mo
Harg, however, was ready and ex-
pected to testify.
Later 1t was announced that MT.
McHarg's testimony had been post
poned until Tuesday, Oct. 8. Chair
man Clapp said: "The committee
was not ready for him."
1t was announced Judge Cannon,
president Of the Fourth National
bank of New York, would be sum.
moned. 1t was said he made the
audit of the accounts of the elder
Cornelius N. Bliss, presented to the
committee today.
R%oosevelt's Position.
While the committee at first seem.
ed confused as to the disposition OF
the three letters to Mr.. Bliss, put in
evidence. the substantial portions of
them were finally made public. Two
were of no particular Importance, but
JUS IulGu, udlSu MdlSA ~ AVoVs "AAS
ten by President Roosevelt from the
white house to Mr.. Bliss in New YORK
made specific denial that he had
ever been Influenced for or against
any persons or interests as a result
of contribution to the 1904 campaign.
ut is not only true that there has
come to me no suggestion that the
giving of contributions entities any
giver to any consideration beyond his
fellows" wrote President Roosevelt
in the letter, @'but it Is furthermore
true that on a number of occasions
(as for instance In connection with tn
tobacco interests and in connection
with a wealthy man who wished to DO
considered for the position of minis
ter to Beltimus) contributions were
Immediately declined when 1t was
found either that the donor hoped for
some favor or even that the govern
ment was about to take some action
which affected the donor or donors;
while as soon as it was known that
certain big flnanciers as we'll as In
luential politicians like MI. OdeH had
urged the appointment Of James j..
Hyde as American ambassador to
France, MIR. Cortelyou and I believe
you also, protested strongly and the
in question at once accept
ed my explanation of why it would be
to put so young and un-
tried a man in any such position, and
all efforts to press him."
Names Friends and Foes.
President Roosevelt wrote that he
believed the 1904 campaign fund had
been only half as big az the republi-
can fund in 1896 or the democratic
fund in 1892. This however, is aside
from the point" he continued, which
is that the money was spent legitt-
mately, in legitimate campaign ex-
penses and that no pretense has been
s;ans+ ,ns II HW-0