STANDARD OIL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 233, 1 October 1912, Page 6

STANDARD OIL.

STOLEN LETTERS REVEAL SECRETS.

A SENSATION IN AMERICA

(Post Correspondent.) SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 2. An extraordinary series of letters extracted from the files of the Standard Oil Company, proving to a demonstation what has so often been asserted, that a sinister influence over legislation is exercised by the great corporations through the medium of senators and members of'the Houso of Representatives who are merely the agents or servants of such corporations, has just been published in Hearst's Magazine. Four years ago Hearst: published a number of such letters, showing that Senator Foraker, of Ohio, took orders from the Standard-Oil. The i-esult was that 'Foraker avas retired to private life. This latest series particularly involves Senator Boies Penrose, of Pennsylvania, one of the most powerful members of the Senate, a strong supporter of President Taft, and a; determined opponent oT all progressive legislation. They show that Senator Penrose received money from Standard Oil. and that he was taking orders from the trust at the time it was under investigation by a congressional committee. One of the letters published in facsimile, signed by John D. Archbold, president of the "Standard Oil Company,' reads: "My dear Senator,—ln fulfilment of our understanding it gives me great pleasure to hand you herewith certificate of deposit in your favor for 25,000 dollars, and with good wishes, I am," etc. Penrose's reply to this is that it was not a bribe or a payment for services, but that it was a contribution to the election campaign fund in 1904 m Pennsylvania of Theodore Roosevelt. In confirmation of his statei ment he had Archbold summoned before the committee that is now investigating the question of campaion i?nn dn^a^ d,, ArChbold Stifled that j 100.000 dollars was subscribed in that year to Roosevelt's campaign ex- [ penses and that the treasurer of the fund, Mr. Bliss—since dead—told him this fact was conveyed to Mr Roosevelt. Archbold further testier «hat' Bliss asked 1 0r an additional 125.000 dollars, which was refused. Replying tb this, Mr Roosevelt makes public letters he wrote to the chairman of his campaign in 1904, Mr George Cortelyou, insisting that no contribution he received from the standard Oil Company, and demanding that if any had been received it be refunded immediately. Mr. Coftelvou corroborates this, and says further' that he knew of no contribution being received from the Oil Trust. The death of Mr Bliss has removed the one essential witness. but Roosevelt says he is convinced from his knowledge of Bliss that Archbold lies when he says Bliss told him the President, knew of the contribution. At the same time Roosevelt says he is not in a position to deny that the contribution was made in defiance of his wishes, but that if it was he knew nothine of it. The important point is that the Standard Oil Trust admittedly expected Governmental favors in return

for its 100,000 dollars. Instead, as Mr Archbold testified, what Mr Roosej velt did to the Trust after his elecI tion "would have been a disgrace in , Abyssinia"/—evidently something very I terriblcfi : But this was only one of the let- ■ ters .shoeing Senator Penrose's inti- . mate relationship with the criminal Trust. In another Mr Archbold requested the Senator to take the chair- ; manship of the committee which was : investigating the corporation in T9OO. ( "We make ill as a strong personal re- ; quest," wrote the Standard Oil magi nate. ' Ono letter recalls to Senator i Pen rose the understanding he had en- ! tered into that .a certain official ot j the Trust should not be required to t -testify before the committee. The phrasing of the letters shows that the Senator., while a member of the investigating committee, was simply looking out for the interests of the defendant—in otheY words, the Standard Oil Corporation. Finally, the letters revealed the extraordinary fact that the report of the committee when drafted, was submitted to the Trust for approval before being presented to Congress, or made public. A letter is published in facsimile from Archbold to Penrose stating: "We think the report is so fair that we will not, undertake to suggest any changes. *■" The letters, have created a sensation. Hearst states that he has more of similar import, and threatens to publish them.