Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-27
Colonel Roosevelt Kept Busy
Explaining Correspondence
With G. 0. P. Leaders Dur
inc Campaigns.
DENIES HE WAS PART OF
INVISIBLE GOVERNMENT
Trial Of Sensational Libel Suit
Brought by Barnes Contin-
ueS With No Sign of Inter
est FIagging,
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TsY noRHHa JOURNAL sPEciAL LEASED wsHl
Syracuse, n. Y, April 2G.-Theodore
Roosevelt admitted under erosa-eNam :
nation today in the suit for alleged
libel which William Barnes has
brought against him that while gov
ernor he had freely consulted the
boss of the republican party in New
York state in reference to the ap-
pointment of officials in the state gov
ernment and various legislature ana
political matters.
The boss" named was Thomas G..
platt. who at that time represented
New York i'm the United states SEN
ate. The former president said he
took the advice of the senator in many
matters, among them appointing a
democrat to the office of tax com
missioner ito please Grady. whom
the colonel described as lieutenant
boss" of Richard Croker, then the
leader of Tammany hall.
Rooseyclt-P -PIatt letters.
The testimony resulted from ques-
tions asked after letters of a series
that passed between Colonel Ro0se-
telt and Senator Plat had been read
to the jury. In these letters, both
writer's discussed all manner of po-
litical and legislative affairs. In one
Colonel Roosevelt asked the senator's
advice about making speeches. In
another Senator platt told the colonel
he had received copy of a bill intro
duced by Grady in which the senator
said he considered it inadvisable to
give Tammany from $3,000,00 to
$4,000 600 on an appropriation 10
expend upon the water front Of New
york as ''it would simply be putting
an unnecessary club in the hands of
those people with which to knock our
brains out"
submits Proposed Messages.
With another letter, the colonel
sent the senator a proof of his mes
sage to the legislature which dealt
with, among other things, public util-
tiles, the franchise tax. the trusts. in
dustrial conditions and labor The part
dealing with the trusts the colonel
wrote, had been submitted to several
experts including Elihu Root. Pres
ident Hadley. Professor James of Cor
nell and James A. Dill, who was de-
scribed in the letter as a big cor
poration lawyer +"
And in the last letter read which
was dated in 1901, Colonel Roosevelt
told the senator that he did not want
to be vice president of the United
States as it was not an office in which
he could do anything. The colonel
said he should like to be governor for
another term, and that 'in spite of all
the work and worry--and very large
ly because of your constant courtesy
and consideration, my dear senator
have thoroughly enjoyed being gov
ernor."
Does Little Taking
The colonel added that not being a
money maker, he felt ''in honor bound |
to leave his children the equivalent, in |
way of a substantial sum of actual |
achievement in politics or letters"
The colonel did little talking today. |
For the most part he sat in the wit
ness chair and listened to counsel for |
William Barnes read the letters which |
it was said, were furnished by son
of Mr.. Platt. When the colonel did |
talk, it was to identify letters or an
sWer questions concerning them.
The reading of additional cores
pondence that passed between Colonel
Roosevelt and Senator Platt will be-
gin when Colonel Roosevelt resumes
the stand tomorrow morning.
Mr.. Barnes was not in court during
the afternoon session, having gone to
Albany to attend the state constitu-
0nal convention.
Actions Were Visible.
When court opened a stipulation be-
tween counsel that dispositions Of the
four unnamed witnesses outside the
state would have the same effect as If
the witnesses appeared on the stand
was read into the record Mr.. IVins,
Mr. Barnes attorney, then put into the
record letters written by Mr. Barnes
10 Colonel Roosevelt and by Colonel
Roosevelt to Mr.. Barnes and to Her.
bert Parsons. The latter letters dat
cd August II, 1908, were nearly iden-
tleai in contents and phraseology. In
one letter Mr. Barnes discussed Gov
ernor Hughes. He said that should
Hughes be elected he would set up
a political machine and that all poll
iclans who opposed him would have
to sneak in the back door or get out
Of politics.
The reply Of Colonel Roosevelt,
written at Oyster Bay, read:
letter to Barnes.
My dear Mr.. Barnes: Yesterday l
saw sherman, Bennett George Smith,
" Ike Dady. Cocks and Hitchcock,
'hairman of the national committee
lefe. | have been carefully going
mo the Hughes matter since / saw
iou. appreciate to the full the force
d the arguments you urged against
us denomination 1t is not pleasant
or me to support a man who has ]
Fantonly behaved badly to the veryl
nen who did most in securing his Sc {
eetion-I would approve his turning
lpwn in the public interest, but l OBJ I
eet to its being done wantonly. Z
borrower, | appreciate that he has
iilenated quite needlessly very many
'oters and If we had the right man