The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-26
ROOSEVELT IS DISAPPOINTED.
Wanted TO Testify TO-tIny. hut He'u
Write n Letter Instead

OYSTER BAY. Aug. -. Instead of ap-
earing in person before the campaiCn
contribution committee Of the Senate
tomorrow. Col Roosevelt will address
to that body long letter replying to the
accusations made 10y Senator Penrose
ard John d. Archbold of the Standard
Oil Company.
The ex-President has received no direct
answer to the telegram which he sent
AT the eleventh hour yesterday. asking
the privilege Of testitying He had heard,
however. he said from Cal OLaughlin
and o. X. Davis that Senator Clapp had
sent word that il would he impossible to
get his committee together in time TO
hear the Colonel on Monday
Col. Roosevelt complained bitterly over
having lost the chance to answer directly
all the questions which the Investigating
committee could put to him.
He said the opportunity to answer
questions was one which he always well
coined and he had his enemies to blame
he said for being deprived Of this oppor-
tunity.
Il feel that the committee ough, not
to have gone away and let Archbold go 20
Europe without taking any of his testi-
mony on the really grave charge. and
then 70 have failed 10 lot me appear imme-
diately. knowing as the committee must
know wha, nv later engaGem ents are,
he complained.
That such a course had been followed
was due, the Colonel asserted. to the fact
that an investigation had been started
which its promoters did not dare to
prosecute further.
"Tbcy Pi,"ricd Ne"
They pilloried mo- and then they got
afraid. he declared. flushed with anger.
'but they will find that they have picked
up the wrong end Of the poker.
Il shall, however. at once write Senator
Clapp full statement of some of the
things TO which | would have testified
His letter will he begun forthwith. the
Colonel says, and ought 10 be completed
Tomorrow or Tuesday. II will cover the
ground already gone over in his recent
statements. and will contain in addition
some letters not yet given out which the
"x-Presdnnt says he has discovered bear
inE further on the relations which existed
between himself and the Standard Oil
Company during his adminiStrat ion
II is expected also TO shed some light
upon the financial aspect Of the present
Roosevelt campaign. Upon this last
point the Colonel was particularly inss-
, tent. II he had gone to Washington. he
said, it was his purpose 10 tell the COM
! Inittee just what his relations were with
, ex-senator William Finn of Pennsyl-
vania and George W Perkins, all of which
he was ready to explain.
"JpDideptalIy I shoul6 lilo to ha
asserted that they need not bother
about comforting additional powers upon
the committee to question me about the
primary campaign. Whether they are
given the power. any questions which the
committee may put to me as to anything
of which I have knowledge connected
with the primary campaign or for that
matter as to anything which have ever
done az President or in this campaig ign
will be answered" He was eager. the
Colonel said. to meet all questions He
continued:
Not one thing has been done now that
was not done eight yea y ago or that
would not stand for now as then ] sug-
gest, however, that the co mmiitee take
mp the primary campaigns of all Of the
other candidates also if they desire to
go into the matter at all
An Improper UnderstRndinE.
In connection with the charges which
had been made against him, Col, Roose-
Welt was dcsirous that his answer should
not he misunderstood. as was the case
in his ntroversy with Judge Parker,
At that time he said his point had been
not that money had not been received
from big corporations but that money
had not been received with an improper
understand ing. As regards Senator Pen
roses present charge his position as well
rs Mr.. Cortelyou's was not that no Stand
ard Oil contribution had been received
but that if such were tho case neither he
nor Mr. Cortplyou had any knowledge
oi IL
'Ir' mo repeat" he continued, that
II any contribution was received FROM
the Standard Oll Company it was against
my explicit and reiterated written pro-
hibi'ion, and not only without my knowl-
edge but in spite of the fact that explicit
assurance was given me tina no such
,nntr,huti ion had hnpp nr would bp