The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-12-26
Roosevelt's .Epistles to Hartman
When President Again -
g@@ Brought to Light. ~ Il
ARE ILLUMINATING NOW
Peace and Reconstruction Plans
and Opposition 20 Farm-Labor
ea4 =. .. z.a ., a.s4-,
..- Program Makes Them So. L.

states, wrote q good many letters to
Edward H. Hartman, then the leading
railroad boss Of the country. During
the senate investigation of the cam,
paign fund scandal of 1912, there was
republished a series of these Roose-
velt-Harriman letters. which first came
to light in April, 1907, when published
in the New York World. Hartman,
1t will be remembered, was the great
railroad king. In view Of the eminent
ly practical" details of the Roosevelt
trip to Montana and to Minnesota be-
fore the election, with all expenses
paid. to fight against candidates in
dOrsed by farmer and labor organiza-
lions. It seems like meeting an old
friend 10 read the following. dated Oc.
tober IA. 1904:
MY dear Mr.. Hartman:
"A. suggestion has come to me in a
roundabout way that you do not think
1t wise to come on to see me in these
closing weeks Of the campaign, but
that you are reluctant to refuse, in
asmuch as l have asked you.
Nov. my lear sir, you and / are
practical men, and you are on the
ground, and know the conditions bet
ter than l do. II you think there is
any danger Of your visit to me aus
ing trouble, or if you think there is
nothing special ] should be informed
about, or no matter in which I could
give aid, why, of course, give up the
visit for the time being, and then a
few weeks hence, before I write my
message, | shall get you to come down
to discuss certain government matters
not connected with the campaign.
With great regards, sincerely
yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
When he wrote that, Roosevelt was
president. '..'' ..
Hartman had a very close personal
friend. a millionaire scholar named
Sidney Webster, to whom the Rail
Wizard used to send confidential and
detailed reports of his ventures, in
finance, business and political manipu-
lation. Read the following letter from
Hartman to Webster: "..''..
January 2. 1906. q.
"Mr. Sidney Webster, 245 East 18th
ST. New York City.
"Dear Mr.. Webster: AZ . isdt.5">. .t
Il am glad to know that you are to
be in town, and hope soon to have an
opportunity of talking matters over
with you.
Il had the printed copies of the
(insurance) testimony sent you, in
hopes that you would, after reading
them. give me some idea of where |
stand, for I confess that I feel some
what at sea in this whole insurance
matter. The trouble originated in my
allowing myself to be drawn into
other peoples affairs, and partly from
a desire to help them, and at their
request. l seem to be like the fellow
who got in between the man and his
wife in their quarrel. a." ss..1:.s' ti
LAS to my political instincts, to
which you refer In your letter of De
cem5er4 18th. I am quite sure that I
have none, and my being made at all
prominent In the political situation is
due entirely to President Roosevelt,
and because of my taking an active
part in the autumn of 1904, at his ur-
gent request, and his taking advantage
of conditions then created to further
his W interests. If it had been a
premediated plot It could not have
been better started or carried out. ''&s
about a week before the elections
in the Autumn of 1904, when it looked
certain that the state (Newf York;
: ticket would go Democratic, and was
doubtful as to Roosevelt himself, he,
: the president, sent me q request to go
, to Washington to, confer upon the pc,
litical conditions in. New York state.
!, I complied and he told me he under
stood the campaign could not be sue.
cessfully carried on without sufficient
money, and asked II I9wouldi not help
them in raising the necessary funds.
+ as the national committee, under
Chairman rCourtelyou, had utterly
failed Of obtaining them, and there
was a large amount due from them to
the New York state committee. 5"l 'tt
IT explained to him that I under
! stood the difficulty here was mainly
e caused by the upstate leaders being
unwilling to support Depew for re-
election as United States senator; that
If he, Depew, could be taken care Of
! ! in some other way, I thought matters
: might be adjusted, and the different
{ ~contending elements; in the party be
: brought into close alliance again. W.
talked over what could be done fol
Depew, and finally he agreed that II
It was found necessary he would APP
point him as Ambassador to Paris.
With full belief that he, the presi
dent, would keep this agreement,
came to New York, sent for Treasurer
Bliss, who told me that ] was their
last hope, and that they had exhausted
r~Ievery other resource. In his presence
{ l called UP an intimate friend Of Sena
tor, Depew;; told him that It 4 neces
sary, ii order TO carry New Yori
ststA eaAat 3soo,o0A should. Ss iaisss