The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-14
GEO. CORTELYOU |S TIE CHAMPION
 OF FORGETTERS Many Wondering Whether He Will Be Able to Find
 His Way Home "SWAG" COLLECTIONS CAME VOLUNTARILY He Got Something Like Two Million But to Save His Life He Can't
 Remember Who Handed
 It to Him
Ry BILL VINES

Washington. July -(Speeial)-
 George Bruce Cortelyou, republican na-
 tional chairman of 1904. when Theodore
 Roosevelt was elected with the aid of
 the biggest slush fund ever contributed
 to a presidential election. testified be-
 fore the Senate committee on priv
 ileges and elections that he controlled during that campaign in contributions
 something close to s2,0o0,o0o. But hon. estly, to save his life, he just couldn't
 remember who donated it.
 Of course. total strangers would
 sometimes walk right into Georges office and plank down some 30,000 or
 10000 kopees out of pure patriotism and loyalty, and just because George
 had such ad-fetehed winning ways,
 and walk right out again and forget
 to leave their cards
 George said that some of the con
 tributors were women-Oh, you George. in fact, he said that some of the
 ladies contributed as high as 10000 bucks.
 George said the tobacco trust of- fered a contribution amounting to $20,-
 900 or 3O,o00--he couldn't be sure just whlch-but anyhow, he rejected it. Maybe he did, but we'll bet wooden nickel to the hole in doughnut that if he did he had his fingers crossed and that said contributor was not al-
 lowed to get away with the swag. George Bruce is just about one of the classiest forgetters that ever faced
 committee. He could not remember whether J. P. Morgan was a banker in New York at that time or running saloon in Pittsburg. To the best or his recollection Hartman was con
 ductor on the Illinois Central and voted the prohibition ticket.
 John D. Archbald--he was under the impression-wa over in Europe dis tributing tracts for General Booth of the Salvation Army. William Rockefeller and George W. Perkins were both en- tire strangers to George Bruce along about 1904 but he was of the opinion that they were editors of q Sunday school magazine devoting it's attention to uplift.
 He had vague recollection of having seen Chauncey M Depew's picture in Puck or in SingSing, he wouldn't be positive, but anyhow. he couldn't re-
 member if Chauncy donated 8 to the
 campaign fund.
 Many contributors gave anonymously after they were told if they didn' l they would always wish that they had, I he said.
 1 It is feared here that George will
 have great difficulty in finding his way back home, he Is so forgetful 1 George said that he gave orders at I the outset of the campaign that no pledges or promises were to be made l in exchange for contributions. The con l tributors were simply told that if they did not come clean something would drop with a dull thud. If there is any 1 thing in the world contributor to the
 republican campaign fund hates 1t is l for something to drop and especially l with a dull thud. Consequently they
 coughed up the needful In large gobs, l and George conveniently forgot that they were on the map Great business. Of course 1t was all done in the in
 terest of the people and to the end
 that the people might rule, and to the l confusion of the bosses.
 1 Bully for Roosevelt. Now, let Sen l ator LaFollette howl, a few choice howls and see what it gets him.