Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-10-01
ROOSEVELT WRITES
MANY NOTES ASKING
HARTMAN TOSEEH|M
Senate Committee Resumes Taking
of Testimony in Regard to Cam.
paign Of 1904.
MAGNATE'S SECRETARY ON STAND
Letters Written by Former President
Placed on Record.
HARTMAN DONATES $4,000
Personal Contribution Precedes Fund
Raised After Visit.
MR.. BLISS SON TESTTFIES
SON of Former Treasurer Produces
Letters From Roosevelt and Taft
Found In His Fathers
Files.
Letters Written by Former President
Placed on Record.
HARTMAN DONATES $4,000
Personal Contribution Precedes Fund
Raised After Visit.
MR., BLISS SON TESTIFIEs

WASHINGTON, Sept. 80-Ths senate
subcommittee renewal Of the investtga~
ton Of presidential campaign contr!bu-
tions today marked the beginning OF
hearings that are expected to bring
many of the leading financiers, politicians
and candidates to the witness stand dur
ing the next two months.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and J..
Pierpont Morgan are scheduled to step
into the spotlight later this week, the
ffnancier appearing Thursday and Colonel
Roosevelt on Friday.
Senators Clapp, oliver, Paynter and
Ponlerene were present when the com.
rnittee went into session. Mr.. Bliss was
the first witness. He said he was an
executor of his fathers estate and had
sole custody Of his fathers papers.
"Have you found any papers bearing
on the campaign funds handled by your
father" asked Chairman Clapp.
Mr.. Bliss placed in evidence report
from the aduitor who examined his
fathers accounts when he resigned as
treasurer of the republican committee.
He said the records did not show any
contribution by John D. Archbold or the
Standard Oil company. Members Of the
committee examined the records.
No names of contributors to the 1904
campaign fund appear in the records.
Mr.. Bliss was asked to read his fathers
letter Of resignation to Harry S. New,
which also had been placed in evidence.
The letter set forth the late Mr.. Bliss
had held as confidential the names of
contributors and the amount Of their con-
tributions in the last four presidential
campaigns in which l have acted as
treasurer"
II have persistently refused to make
these reports public" the letter read,
because regard the relations Of cam
paign contributions to party committees
as confidential. l believe the right to re-
fuse to make public these contributions
is as sacred as the right of man to
cast secret ballot In the election"
Fund About Three Millions.
The letter added that the republican
receipts in 1900 had been "a trifle below
$S,0Oo,OOO;" in 1896. $S,5OO,OOO, and in 1892,
81, 100000.
The witness said he had discovered
three other letters of a personal and
more or less intimate nature" These he
handed to Chairman Clapp. One was from
President Roosevelt, another from Will
liam H. Taft as secretary of war.
The committee members read the letters
privately.
Senator Clapp had them placed in the
record as exhibits. They were not read
aloud and their contents were not d.
Vulged at the time. Mr.. Bliss said he
had no other documents and no recollec-
ton Of any conversations with his father
which would throw any light on the
subjects under investigation.
Later, however, the contents Of two of
the letters became known. That from
Secretary Taft, written May 6, 1904 urged
the late Mr.. Bliss to take the chair
manship, saying President Roosevelt was
most anxious for 1t and adding that as
chairman Mr. Bliss would secure the
confidence of those from whom centribu-
tions may be expected" The letter from
President Roosevelt, dated the same, also
urged him to take the place.
Letter From Roosevelt.
While the committee at first seemed
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 par
ticular import, but the third, dated March
26. 1906 written 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
contributions to the 1904 campaign.
President Roosevelt wrote that he be-
lieved the 1904 campaign fund had been
only half as big as the republican 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 legitimately in legit- |
innate campaign expenses and that no
pretense has been made to the contrary, |
and that it was contributed freely by |
men who did not ask and who never |
have received one particle Of considera- |
ton in the shape of legislation or ad- |
act as reward for having |
SO contributed; exactly as no man has |
been in any way Disseminated against |
for not having contributed.
''Mr. FTick was one OF my stanchest |
lCnpfiptIad IN Canopd Do