The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-03-18
At the Same Time Being
Guest Of Country.
CHARGE AGAINST ROOSEVELT
That He Humiliated Ameri'
cans Travelling In
South America.
MUCH HONOR SHOWN, TO TEDDY

LOnuOn, MaTcn H.. tHSeneT-
Gus, not to say grasping," describes
some of Theodore Roosevelts acts
in South America If reports current
there may be believed" said John
T. Lenfestey, of Chicago. to the cor
respondent of the Daily News to-day
on reaching London from Rio de ia
metro, after a tour of the principal
South American countries in the in
terest of closer trade relations be-
tween the continents on the western
hemisphere.
Mr.. Lenfestey carried letters of
recommendation from Secretary of
State Bryan, Wilbur John Carr and
Henry A. Wheeler and represented
the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States and the Chicago AS
ISOLATION of Commerce. He thus
gained admittance to the best in
formed circles in South America,
including the diplomatic and consul
lar officers of the United States.
My mission" continued Mr.. Len
festey, brought to my attention Il
number of things prejudicial to the
spread of American influence and
business in the republics of South
America.
"Mr. Roosevelt left an unfortu-
nate impression wherever he went.
Reports adverse to him reached me
from responsible sources in Santa
go, Buenos Aires. Montevideo and
Rio de Janeiro.
His conduct i'm Rio was the sub
larry scathing character. He arriv-
ed there Oct. 81, accompanied by
Mrs. Roosevelt. niece and his son
Kermit, and was received by the
Presidents representative, govern
ment officials and the diplomatic
corps. He was conducted to the
Guanabara palace. facing the beau
tiful Rua Pasandu, the street of a
thousand palms.
The palace was evacuated by the
President, who place il, with 100
servants. at the disposal of the
Roosevelt party.
THE visitors stayed a week, and
We're the recipients of regal hospi-
tally, banquets, government and
civil honors, numerous automobile
drives and private courtesies from
many notables.
"Mr. Roosevelt was urged to en-
terrain whom he pleased at the pal
ace, and forty covers were regularly
laid, although only six or eight were
used.
ION his third or fourth night in
Rio de Janeiro. Roosevelt spoke
thirty minutes on the relations be-
tween the United States and the
South American republics, before
the Rio de Janeiro Historical and
Geographical Society, which had in
vited him to South America and
made him an honorary member, the
highest honor it could confer. The
audience was composed of ambas-
sailors, generals, leading politicians
and members of society, possibly
100 in all
THE night of Oct. 20, Mr.. Roose,
welt left for Rio Paulo on a special
train provided by the government
on the Central Brazil railroad. He
visited points of interest on the line.
looked over the capital and the
State of Sac Paulo. and continued
on his journey TO Buenos Aires at
the expense of the Brazilian govern
ment.
After all this. the Historical and
Geographical Society received from
Mr. Roosevelt a bill for $4,000 for
his brief lecture.
Already $4,000 or $4,000 had
been spent on the visitors in enter
ttinittHt. iHt itIuliiidn0 DOittly
paid the bill. but they could not con-
ceal their amazement
when the American residents of
Rio Janeiro learned the facts, their
humiliation was inexpressible. The
story was published In the Journal
do Commerce. personally asked
the Count Candid Mendes d'Almei-
da, owner OF the Journal do Brazil,
II the story was true. and he an
swered Yes
II was told that Mr.. Roosevelt,
while everywhere accepting public
and private hospitality on an ex-
travagant scale, charged for all his
speeches. He also harped on the
Monroe doctrine and pan-American
solidarity in way that struck
South Americans as offensive.
These stories about Mr.. Roose-
welt ] do not repeat out OF any III
feeling for him. but to emphasize