Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1912 — WHEN “PRACTICAL MEN” MET [ARTICLE]

WHEN “PRACTICAL MEN” MET

iPoMlbly E- H. Harrlman and President Roosevelt on Momentous Occasions Played Checkers. Why Mr. Roosevelt should break In upon the joyous Beason with another formal denial that he asked Mr. E. H. Harrlman to raise a big campaign fund for use in New York in 1904 is not exactly clear. He has pleaded not griilty several times before this, on one occasion In a letter much longer than that whihh he now publishes.

Mr. Harriman Is dead, but his evidence is on file, and perhaps it Is quite as trustworthy as anything that the former president may say on the subject. It was the letter to Mr. Harriman inviting him to viklt the White House at the time W'hen this campaign fund was stfld to have been discussed that contained Mr. Roosevelt’S celer brated wheedling expression: “You and I are practical men," Strangely enough, at the close of this interview Mr. Harrlman went hurriedly to the big interests in New York and raised $200,000, which amount, he said In his letter to Sidney Webster, “enabled the New York committee to continue Its work, with the result that at least 50,000 votes were turned In New York alone, making a difference of 100,000 In the general result.”

On this subject Mr. Roosevelt’s mind appears to be a blank. He can hardly remember meeting Mr. Harrlman and he Is perfectly sure that the question of campaign contributions never was discussed by them. Being practical men, the election being only a week or so away and New York being considered for some reason a doubtful state, they naturally talked on literary and t social topics exclusively, and Mr. Harriman’s description of the com ference, written at the time, may have been a delusion. This Is what alls all history. You never can believe anybody.T—St. Louis Republic. t .