Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-07-13
RYANANDBELMONT
PAID 1904 BILLS
Former Chairman Taaaart Tells Who
Put Up the Money For the
Campaign.

Washington, July 10.--That Thomas
r. Ryan and August Belmont, the Wall
street operators. who were politically
communicated by William ]. Bryan
at Baltimore. financial the Parker
campaign in 1904 was the reluctant
admission OF Thomas Taggart. Of In
diana, before the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections yesterday.
The former Democratic national
chairman had been called to the wit.
ness stand to tell the Senators what
he knew of the campaign contribu-
tons eight years ago. He said that
his memory was bad as to details, but
he was able to recall that the tive fl.
nanciers had put up most of the mon
ey that had been spent by the Demo
cratic campaigners.
When urged to go into the subject
more fully the Indianan demurred. He
said that the books had been burned
just before the Denver convention.
and that he could not remember what
had been recorded in them. He said
that he had not turned over the rec.
ords to Norman E. Mack the incoming
national chairman.
No Remorse Now, He Says.
Mr.. Taggart declared he felt no
shame over the fact that Wall street
agencies had furnished the money with
which to carry on the Parker cam
paign. He said nobody had arisen to
protest against the sources the cam
paign funds at the time, and that he
could indulge in no remorse over 1t
at this late day.
While the testimony before the Sen
ate committe developed few interest
ing facts it was chiefly notable for the
facts which it did not disclose. The
amounts of money expended. the
amounts contributed by the indiyid-
ual supporters of Judge Parker and
the manner in which the funds were
used were not fully set gorth by Mr.
Taggart.
1t did come to light, however, that
| the job of national treasurer eight
years ago was more or less thankless
George +, Peabody had started out as
| the money collector for the conserva-
tives. He resigned. Later August Bel
mont essayed to hold the money bags
He, too, resigned. There was neither
treasury nor treasurer therefore, when
the Bryan nomination was made at
Denver in 1908.
Wants Peabody to Testify.
When pressed for complete informa-
penditures, Mr.. Taggart sal dthe COM
mite would have to excuse him. He
suggested that M. Peabody might be
able to furnish all the information
wanted, and that the former Democra-
tic treasurer be called to the witness
stand. The committee intimated that
the suggestions would be followed.
After Chairman Clapp had asked for
the total amount contributed eight
years ago to the Democratic campaign
fund, and had failed to get the infor-
nation, he asked for the names of
some of the contributors. At once Mr..
| Taggart called the names of Mr.. Ryan
and Mr.. Belmont. He could not re-
member just how much each gave, but
the impression which he left was that
they had been the main support of
the campaign.
Further interesting information as
to the financial conduct of national
campaigns is expected when the SEN
ate committee calls George b. Cortel-
you, head of the Republican party fund
in 1904. The former secretary of the
treasury will be questioned on Friday.
This was the campaign in which Judge
Parker accused President Roosevelt of
receiving large sums of money from
Wall street. The President had de-
MED it, but later the Armstrong in
yestigation showed that the Democra-
| tic candidate was correct.