Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-29
CONDITION CORRUPT,
|. MR.. WHITMAN SAID
Col. Roosevelt Offers Letter
From Then District Attorney
Scoring Old Leaders.
TIME RIPE TO RID STATE
OF THEM, HE DECLARED
Former President Ends Long Ordeal
on Witness Stand in Mr..
Barnes Libel Suit.


ter produced by counsel for Theodore
Roosevelt during the redirect exam
| nation Of the former President today
in the suit of William Barnes for al
legged libel. Gov. Charles g. Whitman.
then district attorney of New York.
told Charles H. Dueil of New York
that the time Is ripe for all pro-
gressive republicans and members of
the progressive party to rid the state
Of the party control which Is RESPONSE
bic for corrupt conditions"
The letter was written In 1914. and
the then district attorney wrote that
the men and the policies responsible
for the corrupt conditions were not
confined to any one party. Mr.. Barnes
name was not mentioned in the letter,
but the colonel in reply to questions
| said he understood that the reference
was to him.
Col. Roosevelt was excused from the
stand shortly after his letter was in
troduced,
Applaud the Colonel.
When Col. Roosevelt entered the
courtroom today the spectators ap
| piauded him, and attendants had ONE
difficulty in restoring order
The colonel was smiling as he took
his seat in the witness chair and
awaited the first question. which was
about letter in which Messrs Bid
well and Stranahan were mentioned.
Il remember that letter. said the
colonel. Senator Platt wanted Mr..
Bidwell appointed collector of the pert
| of New York. II seemed inadv!sabIe.
| however. SO | appointed Mr.. Stranahan.
| state senator
In regard to the election of Seth Low
! as mayor Of New York city, and a
meeting he arranged between Mr. Low
and Senator Plat, the colonel said:
The organization had helped elect
, Mr. Low | wanted MI. Low TO take
ganization. Therefore. wrote to Mr..
Platt about a meeting between the
two. l didn't want the organization to
| feel it was being sIighted. But l
wanted Mr Low always to understand
| that he was to do what he thought
best. l was President then"
! why did you write about Mr.. Platt g
man and some one, else's man." ask ed
| Mr.. Bowers.
to the man. 1t was simply to identify
! them"
| Accepted to Please MI. Mckinley.
| How did you finally happen 10 be
nominated for Vice President in 1900:
An objection was sustained
! Did President Mckinley send YOU
communica tion on that subject"
Yes
Did YOU accept after receiving the
(, message"
| Another objection was sustained
Later he said, II accepted so as TO
crafty President Mckinley
DO you remember hearing that any
of the men named by Mr.. Wins contrib
uted to your campaign fund in 1892"
Until after l left the presidency !
having been contributors. ] heard most
! of them the first time when they we-E
read here.
Il knew some people had contrii,llie'.
but | didn't know how much. | rev
of Henry Fricis. George W. Perkins,
Clifford Pinchot, the widow OF Sena to-:
Hanna and George Won l.. Meyer. |
also remember widow who contrib
uted a dollar.
About Corporation Actions
What did you do in regard TO the
New Haven railroad and the Harvester
company"
Action was taken against the New
Haven. An investigation was made of
the Harvester company and il WAS
ported to ME that it was all right"
an investigation had been made OF the
Du Pont Powder Company
Now, about the Northern Pacific rail-
road
An objection was sustained
Was action brought during your ad-
minis,ration against the Standard Oh!
Company
The court upheld another objection
Was any other action taken against
any corporation in which Morgan or
other gentlemen whose names ap-
peared as contributors were interested
during your administration
An objection was sustained.
Now, for the Tennessee Coal and
Iron Company and the United States
Steel Corporation"
Steel Corporation Acts.
When the merger took pace I under
stood the Tennessee was SO weak that the
steel corporation did not consider 1t
dangerous competitor. The corporation
controlled about 60 per cent OF the out
put. The Tennessee had 1 $40 per cent
Of total output. Subsequently the out
put Of the steel corporation shrunk to "a
per cent. The action occurred during the
height OF the panic Of 1907.
1.-The prime interest Of every citizen
was that some measure should be taken
to stop the panic and restore confidence.
In New York the situation was trembling
on a half as TO WneIneT every business
would have to be shut up. One night I
received notice that the next day Mr..
Frick and Mr.. Gary of the steel corpora
ton would come to see me. had re-
ceived thousands OF appeals to do some-
thing.
Details T. @. & I. Action.
The counsel for the plaintiff objected
at that point 1t was overruled and tho
colonel continued:
IT notified the Attorney General to
meet the two gentlemen. He was in
Baltimore and could not get there. I
then invited Mr.. Root. Mr.. Gary said
II Mr.. Pierpont Morgan's company took
immediate control of the Tennessee the
stock Of the company would immedi-
ately enhance in value. and that the
result would be the end of the COM
pany.
"Mr. Gary told me the Morgan COM
pany didn't want to buy the stock. as
they were trying to reduce their hold
ings."
well do It openly" replied Mr.. Bow
"T nm doing II az openly and m loud.