The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-26
SEES HYDE and
JEKYLL IN 7. R.
Perry Belmont Says Roosevelt
Held DIAL Relation with
Big Trusts.
EXCEPTS TO TESTIMONY
EXCEPTS TO TESTIMONY
Denies Colonel Did Anything Material
to Promote Campaign
Publicity.

Perry Belmont. president of the Ma
tional Campaign Publicity Association,
yesterday telesraphed William NJ. Wins.
counsel for William Barnes in the
Barnes-Roosevelt suit at Syracuse. as
follows:
THE published report of Mr.. Roose-
velt's testimony before Judge Andrews
contains the following statement in re-
ply to question from you. 1T was dur
ing the last years Of my Presidency that
the campaign publicity legislation was
passed. prior to 1905 You then asked
If that is so. what was the necessity of
your having sent a special message on
the subject in 1862" Mr.. Roosevelt re-
piled: Because the publicity Of cam
paign expenditures was only feature
and only a small feature of the evils
against which l was warning.
First Publicity Law in 1910.
Mr. Roosevelt could hardly be expect
ed to be accurate under the circum-
stances. Congress did not enact the first
campaign publicity law until June .,
1910. During Mr. Roosevelt's Presiden-
tial term the executive committee of the
National Campaign Publicity Associa-
ton. responsible for the initiation in 1906
of this legislation-the movement having
started in New York at the close of the
Parker-Roosevelt campaign of 1904-be-
came convinced that Mr.. Roosevelt did
nothing TO promite this legislation. In
response to public sentiment he did send
a message to Congress referring to the
subject, and that was all. He now says
it is a small feature, which doubtless is
his opinion.
Mr.. Roosevelt also answered: L do
not remember Mr.. Perry Belmont's part
in it, l would therefore call your atten-
ton to the official history of the origin.
effect. and purpose of the movement for
the publicity of campaign contributions
contained in Senate document. No. 49,.
Sixty-second Congress. April s. 1912. In
which the following passages occur:
Promise. Not Necessary.
promises on account of contribu
tons were unnecessary. The well-estab-
lished alliance between the Republican
organization and the protected interests
and trusts, so essential to the supremacy
of the former and Of vital importance
to the latter in the enjoyment Of their
would make such agreements
and understandings superfuous. The
Dllal relation to the trusts held by Mr..
Roosevelt at that time throws a power
full light or his present environment.
his friendly attitude toward what is gen
orally described as Wall Street and its APP
parent change of front in support of
him. There are certain pillars of the
financial system who have SUPPORTED him
as governor and President. believing that
they could count upon him with more
certainty and advantage than on any
other politician in public life
THE list of contributions just published
is sufficient evidence of Mr.. Roosevelt's
dual relation to the subject, and il is
therefore improbable that the present
political drama might end in a reconcilia-
ton between the gentleman whom he
ventures TO call DIR. Jekyll Barnes and
Mr. Roosevelt himself, in his dual capac-
ity''