The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-10-21

Washington, Oct 1.-Two mi1lian- aires, George w. Perkins and Thomas Fortune Rpan, today, disclosed to the Clapp committee how they loosenea their purses in political campaigns. Perkins said his total contributions ta Col. Roosevelt's cause, last spring, were only $123,0OO, despite rumors that he had given millions
 Thomas F. Ryan admitted giving s45O,o0O to the Democrats in 1904 and said he gave between s70,000 and ESQ., 900 this year. to Gov. Harmon's war chest and $35,OO0 to Representative Underwood's campaign.
 Perkins indignantly denied that either the steel or harvester trusts were backing Roosevelt He branded such statements flatly and severely as lies, made out of whole cfoth.'' He demanded that Chairman HflIes of the
 Eepubllcan national coInmtttee, and nd forced by the committee to produce evidence to ysubstantiate such charges. Ryan's testimony was remarkable in that he said he was against Parker in 1904 and yet gave $15O,0e0 to the cam pangn and $500, GOO at its close, paying up every debt of the paIsty-s.to keep it from disintegration and di&gTace Thomas F. Ryan. the first witness called told the committee. Farmer was his occupation He, was asked re-
  paign.
 1T know very little about it except my own contribution" he said. Judge
 Parkers friends came to me when l was in the St. Louis convention be- fore the candidate was nominated but I opposed his nomination. I was for Senator German. I took no part nor made no commitments to furnish funds in the campaign Afterward made a contribution of $50,Oo0 later
 ooo
 rewards the end, the national com mittee told me the Parker campaign
 wog,d mone collaRss ahs Eve s rrHeT financial said. Just before the close l of the campaign, I contributed in the neigh borhood of $300,0OO and paid the debts of the election. So that at the end of the campaign every debt of the party was paid. I did that because l did not want to see the party diSinte- grated and disgraCed because of the debts it had incurred.
 .sEvery dollar of the $450,000 contri- button was made by myself" said the millionaire emphatically, answering Senator Clapp's question as to wheth- CT the money was given as an indtVid- ual or as representing any corporate firm Not a dollar Of -my corpora ton or any other interest"
 Ryan said he also made small con- tribntion to the congressional cam
 paign. .,..., campaign of 1908.'' Ryan said. T was
  Ryan said he knew nothing of any other contributions in 1904 1908. When asked regarding his contriou- tions this year, Ryan said: Last year I thought almost any good candidate could be elected this year except MT. Bryan. I determined I thought he was the only cloud in the party I had no particular choice. had known Gov. Harmon for 25 years
 Somewhere me- between $7oooO and ssO. 1000 Later Senator Bankhead came 10 me about MT. Underwood, represent ing he was a southern man and, lat CT on helped him to the extent of thir- tv odd thousand dollars. was not asked to help the candidacy of Gov. Wilson or Mir Clark or would nave Did YOU have some information that Parker could not be elected Tn 1904 ?'' asked Senator Paynter. Yes, made a large contribution only to clean
 up the debts of the committed re-
 piled Ryan.
 knew it before he was nominated, said Ryan. 'J gave $SOO,O00 realizing his prospects were absolutely hope
 Ryan was then excused. His exam ination lasted only IS minutes.
 George w. Perkins succeeded the traction magnate on the witness
 'sRetired workingman," Perkins snil- ingly gave.
 
 day trying to get an hour law, said Perkins.
 T feel insignificant when 1 come to answer questions about contributions after MT. Ryan's testimony he added.
 Senator Clapp asked Perkins about contributions in 1904.
 INT. Bliss, treasurer of the Repuo- lican national committee, asked me to raise funds for the campaign-I serv- ed on a local committee in New York, the witness explained.
 Perkins said he never knew how the 1904 fund was raised Or what the to- tal was He said he urged the idea Of getting small contributions but noth- ing resulted.
 Clapp questioned Perkins about his connection with Morgan and Com | pany and the New York Life Insure ance Company, recalling rumors or conferences of financiers in 1904.
 Judge Parker's statement of big | business conferences was the first knew of it,' Perkins said. "I read | that in the newspapers"
 How much did you contribute in | 19O4?'' asked Clapp. Somewhere be- tween fifty thousand. seventy-five