AMERICAN SENSATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6311, 11 September 1907, Page 5

AMERICAN SENSATION.

TRUSTS AND POLITICS. CONTRIBUTIONS TO AN ELECTION FUND. TO RETURN MR ROOSEVELT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright NEW YORK., September 9. A sensation has been created throughout tho United States by the publication of a startling article in the "Now York World.” Tho article contains a list of names of private persons and heads of trusts which contributed to Mr Roosevelt’s election campaign expenses in 1994, with the amounts given by each. These amounts total £32,000. The “World’’ states that Mr Harriman gave £IO,OOO, the Standard Oil £OOOO, and Messrs Vanderbilt, Dopew, and Hyde £SOOO each, to secure Mr Roosevelt’s return at last election.

At the beginning of April last a sensation waa caused by the publication in the “New York World" of a letter written by Mr E. 11. Harridan, the railway magnate, atating that he was requested by the President to raiso a fund for the Eepublican electioneering campaign in 19J4. Tt at once received the lie direct from the President, l‘lr Harriman waa stated to have made desperate efforts to prevent the publication, and he alleged that he discharged the employee who sold the letter. Mr Harriman, however, reasserted the accuracy o£ s the statement contained in his letter. Writing at the time on th© subject, “The Times" New York correspondent states that President Eoosevelt considered that the affair waa the beginning of a campaign organised with a view of, firstly, prejudicing tho legislation which the President intended to bring in to check the over-capitalisa-tion of railways; secondly, of assuring the preponderance of tho magnates at tho next National Convention. Ecuter also reported authoritatively that it was stated at 'Whit© House that the so-called Hearst-Harriman-Bockefeller combination had raised five million dollars for a campaign against President Booserelt.