"The Great Oil Octopus."

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 41, 15 December 1911, Page 5

"The Great Oil Octopus."

By London "Truth's" Investsgatoi , .

(CopyrijhA. AH Rights Reserved.)

CHAPTER V. BRIBERY: THE ARCHBOLD LETTERS.

"Solid as a prison, towering as a steeple, its cold and forbidding facade seenrs to rebuke the heedless levity or the passing crowd, and frown on the frivolity of the stray sunbeams which in the late afternoon play around its impassive cornices. The building is No. 26, Broadway, New York City, home of ifae Standard Oil."—T. W. Lawson in "Frenzied Finance." The Standard Oil people have undoubtedly practised bribery throughout a long series of years and oil the most comprehensive scale, and tliat not merely to avert a temporary danger or get themselves oub of an unexpovted scrape, but as a matter of ordinary business routine. They bribed high and low, in season and out of season. How real the evil is was revealed in a dramatic manner in the famous Standard Oil letters which Mr. Randolph Hearst read during the American Presidential campaign of 1908. The genuineness of these letters was never questioned, although the persons implicated made some feeble attempts to put a less invidious explanation upon them. It was stated hat one of the Standard Oil Company's letter-books had been stolen j and the "Times" editorially remarked that there had been "nothing approaching the disclosures in sensational rapidity of action in the history of the American Presidential elections." The principal figure in these epistle s_ i 3 Mr. J- D. Ardhbold. The first letter was addressed to Mr. J. B. Foralcer, Senator for Ohio, and one of the leading memI bers of the "Republican party. It was as follows :— 26. Broadway, !Mew York, March 9, 1900. My Dear Senator, —I have your favour of Jast night, with enclosure, which latter, with letter from Mr. Elliott commenting on same.. I beg to send you herewith. Perhaps it would be better to make a demonstration against the whole Bill, but certainly the ninth clause, to which Mr. Elliott refers,, should be stricken cut, and the same is. true of Honoe Bill No. 500, also introduced by Mr. Price, in relation to foreign corporations, in which the same objectionable clause occurs. Am glad to" hear that you think that the situation is fairly well in hand.—Very truly yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. Hoa. J. B. Foraker, Washington, D.C. (The Mr. Elliott referred to was M. F. Elliott, general counsel for the Standard Oil Company.) Here are some more letters of this series:— 26. Broadway. New York. "March 26, 1900. Hon. J. B. Foraker, 1000, Sixteenth Street, Washington, D.C. Dear Senator, —In accordance with our understanding, now beg to, enclose you certificate of deposit to your favor for 15,000 dollars.. Kindly acknowledge receipt- and oblige. —Yours ver-y truly, JNO. D. AKCHBOLD. 26. Broadway, New York, 'April 17, 1900. My Dear Senator, —I enclose you certificate of deposit to your favor of 14,500 dollars. We are really at a loss in the matter, but I send this, and will be glad to have a very frank talk with you when opportunity offers, if you so desire. I need scarcely again express our great gratification overthe favourable outcome of affairs. —Very truly Tours. •" * JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. Hon. J. B. Foraker, 1500, Sixteenth Street, Washington. D.C. January. 27. 1902. My Dear Senator, —"Responding to your favour of the 25th, it gives mc pleasure to hand you herewith certificate of deposit for 50,000 dollars in accordance with our understanding. Your letter states the conditions correctly, and I trust the transaction jwill be successfully consummated. —Yexy truly yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. Hon. J. B. Foraker. Washington, D.C. 26, Broadway, February 25, 1902. My Dear Senator, —I venture to write you a word regarding the Bill introduced by Senator Jones, of Arkansas, known as "S. 649," intended to amend the Act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies, introduced by him December 4. Tt really seems as though this Bill was very unnecessarily severe and even vicious. Is. it not-.much -bettor .to test the Sherman Act before resorting to a'measiire of this kind? I hope you will feel so about it, and I will-bY greatly pleased to have a word from you on the subject. The Bill, I believe, is in bommitWith kind regards, I am, very truly yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. Hon.. J. B. For*k«r. Washington! D.C

Story of the Development, Methods, Men, and Results of " Standard .Oil-"

Senator Foraker, when these letters were published, explained that the •50,000 dollars were sent to him in order to carry, out the purchase of an Ohio newspaper, and that .when . the deal fell through he returned the money. The American public received this explanation coldly, and the Republican party managers forced Mr. Foraker to 'retire from the campaign in order to try and get rid of so embarrassing an association. It'will be noted that; while these large sums were being sent to the Senator., he was being asked to oppose anti-trust legislation) in the interests of the Standard. The Standard and the Judiciary. But even the Bench itself was not secure from the • influence ■ of Mr. Archbold. "Th , Supreem Court is full of Standard lie," says Mr. Dooley, the American humorist, and two other letters .addressed by Mr. Archbold to Senator Foraker show how that consummation has been reached :— ' ' • 26, Broadway, December 18, 1902. My Dear Senator, —"We-are surprised know of Judge Burket's candidacy for re-election to the Supreme Court Bench of Ohio. We understand that his reelection to the position would be in the line of usage as followed in .such cases in Ohio, and we feel very strongly that his eminent qualifications and great integrity entitle him to this further recognition. We most earnestly hope that you agree with this view, and will favour aid his re-election. Mr. Rogers joins mc most heartily in this expression to you. With' kind regards, I am, very sincerely yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. . 26, Broadway, March 20," 1903. My Dear Senator. —We are surprised beyond measure to learn that Smith W. Bennett,,'brother-in-law of F. S. M-o.u«----nei't, recently Attorney-General of Ohio, ;-s-in the race for the Attorney-General-ship, of Ohio on the Republican ticket. Bennett was associated with Mon-ri-ett in the case against us in. Ohio, and T would like to tell you something of our experiences and impressions of the man gained in that case- If you know him p,t all, I am sure you will agree that his. candidacy ought to be seriously considered from any- point of view, I would esteem it a favour to have a line from you on' the subject. 'JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. Mr, F. S. Monnett, whose brother-in-law is attacked here, was one of the public officials whom the Standard. Oil Trust failed to bribe —a most inconvenient record in Mr. Archbold's eyes. He was Attorney-General for the State of OJiio, and his activity in enforcing the anti-trust law of that State against the Standard earned him this denunciation. Mr. Monnett described his personal, experiences in the matter to a representative of the press in July, 1899, when, on a visit to London:—It happened in this way: Mr. Chas. B. Squires is a well-known business man in Cleveland, president of the Manhattan Insurance Compny, and in, no way connected with the Standard. Owing to my fighting the Insurance Trust in Ohio I saw a good deal of him. One day a man called on Squires saying that he represented Frank Rockefeller (brother of J.D.) and Charles V. Haskell, both Standard Oil men. This man asked Squires whether the Attorney-General could be "reached." Squires replied (according to his story to mc) that if anvbedy could "reach" him he could. This representative mentioned the Trust names, and showed Squires a telegram ■stating that he had authority to "reach" the Attorney-General and that there would be a liberal reward for hi if things were dickered. The man offered Squires 100,000 dollars. Squires -lid that would amount to nothing at nil; that he would not attempt t-V>o inn r less that 500.000 dollars"! FWKhe was authorised to offer 400,000 dols. (£80,000) to the- Attorney-General if He woiild let the case stand adjourned over his term of office (this was the prosecution of the Standard by the ■State of Ohio as an illegal Trust), and 100,000 was for Squires and the gobetween. I was at Washington, and got a -Me-aram from Smiir-ps. "Do noting till I see you." When I did see ' made this proposition. . . . r r\ ; s is not-the, .first case of tlv3 kind this litigation, for one of mv Mr. Watson, was offered "00.000 dollars in much the samp way. .'- is, moreover, quite in accordance with the'general policy of the Trust. •VOil and Cas." In fact, in that year—lß99—the Annual Report of Mr. Monnett to the Governor of the State of Ohio contains detaiyd- charges : p£ six. deliberate attempts to bribe Mr. David K. Watson; in) office, to with* draw suits eiiteredagainst the Standard. Oil Company of Ohio. Mr. Watson, however, was not to b« bribed; neither

was he to be intimidated, though Senator Marcus A. Hanna, the personal friend and fiuai'c-ier ol President Mcley, and one of the most influential Republican politicians in America, wrote to him stating that he had always consedcred him '"hi the line of political promotion," and then went an -to intimate - that unless the ; suit against the Standard .was~ withdrawn, Watson would ; be' the ■ object of vengeance b,-\ the "Corporation" ,aud its friends for ever after. As if to clinch his threat and argument, Hanna wrote : "You have been in noUiics Jons ®n* ough to know that no man in publio office owes the public anything." This last phrase remained a potent weapon in,the hands of-Mr.. Hanna's : enemies till the day of his death. But the Hearst letters show that Judge Bu-rket was not the only judicial candidate Mr. Archbold favoured. The following letters, were .written by. him to the Hon. W. A. Stone, Governor of Pennsylvania:— 26, Broadway, December 5, 1902. My Dear Governor,—l am sure you will pardon any seeming presumption on my part'in writing to you on a subject in which, both person ally and on behalf of my company, I am greatly interested. It is to _ urge the appointment, if at all consistent, of Judge Morrison, of McKeen, to the Supreme Court .Bench, vice Mitchell,, deoeosed. Judge Morrison's character for ability and integrity needs ho weids at my hands, but aside from these great" considerations, his familiarity with all that pertains, to ths great industries of oil and gas in the important relation they bear to the interests of the Western part of< the'- State make him especially desirable as a member of the Court from that section. Hoping that it may prove .popsi.ble for you to, favourably; consider ' .JiicXfse Morrison's appointment,—l am, with very high regard, sincerely yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. Hon. Win. A. Stone, Harrisburg, Pa. 26, Broadway, September 5, .1900. Hon. Wm. A. Stone, Harrisburg,. Pa. \ My Dear Gotverhor, —Will you permit mc to say that if it 'seems consistent for you to appoint Judge John, He i-dt-rson, of Meadville,; Pa., to the vacancy on the Supreme Bench, caused by the death of Judge Green, it will be a matter of intense personal satisfaction to hie. I am sure I need not occupy your time with any argument as to Judge Henderson's fitness, either as to character or legal qualification. —With high regard, I ani, very truly yours, , JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. "Our Understandings." Both Judge Morrison and Judge Henderson were appointed tio the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and the former's familiarity with "oil and gas" no doubt proved acceptable to Mr. Archbold. We shall see hereafter that Mr. Archbold himself and other Standard Oil magnates had good reason to ■appreciate in the famous Buffalo refinery prosecution the advantage of t-.i-r'ng on the Bench a judge who was familiar wilh "oil and gas." These strange letters did not disdain other rising members of the Bar. Here is a telegram and three letters addressed, to the Hon. J. P. Elkin, At-torney-General of Pennsylvania—the officer whose duty it is to act as public prosecutor in his State in enforcing anti-trust legislation, Mr. Elkin's merits have since raised him also to the Bench of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania:— .. Telegram. - March 15, 1900. Hon. John P. Elkin, Indiana, Pa. Telegram received. Will do as requested. JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. 26, Broadway, r March 15/1900. Hon. John P. Elkin, Indiana, Pa. Personal. My Dear General, —In accordance with your telegraphic request of today, I beg to enclose you certificate of deposit to your favour for 5000 dollars, in fulfilment of our understandings.—"Very truly 3 r ours, . JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. 26, Broadway, February 5,1900. My Dear General,—ln accordance with the request in your telegram of to-day, I beg to enclose you certificate of deposit to your favour for 10,000 dollars, kind acknowledgment of which will oblige.—Yours very truly, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. To Hon. John P. Elkin, Indiana, Pa. 26, Broadway, May 9, 1901. My Dear General, —I enclose copy of a measiire pending—l am not sure whether in the House or Senate —being an Act to amend an existing statute, as stated. For reasons which seem to us potent, we would greatly like to have this proposed amendment killed.Won't you kindly tell m© about it and advise mc what you think the- chancee aae? —Very truly yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. \\ To the Hon. John P.. Elkin, Attoriiey- . General, Harrisburg, Pa. This is the sort of campaign the Standard' Oil Trust' lias%e"eh carrying"' on in. American .legislature^., 7 , Hp.w ; would th-s British people like it to b» extended to the Houae of Commoutf

" Helnfui " Newspapers. ; Of course, hi such a campaign ofcorrup+ion the press is not . orerlooked. Hero arc throe interesting leitera " which show how public opinion may be manufactured by that process : — '■•■ 26, Broadway, . October 10, 1902. Mr. H. H. Edrnonda, Baltimore,- MA Dear Sir, —Responding to your favor, of the Othj it gives mc pleasure to enclose you herewith cet deposit t<o. your favor for 31)00 dollars, odvesr- 1 ing a gear's subscription to the "Manufacturers' Record." —Truly yours,: JNO. D. ARCHBQLD. '26j Broadway, - - January 17/1880. ; lion. W- A. Ma gee, "Pittsburg Time*," Pittsburgh Pa. - ~ "•. '~ Dear Sir/ —As per understanding, • herewith eiiclqsed iind certificate of, do-; posit to your' order for 12-50dols, the re- ■ •ipt of /which- kindly • acknowledge.—Truly yours,- ■.-. ' JS T O. D. ARCHBOLD. "'' ~ 26j Broadway, December 18, .1901. Mr Thomas P care of Buck Mid-Pratt,-Room 1*203,. 27 Wil-' Ham street, City. Dear Mr. Grasty,— \ have your favor of yesterday, and beg to'return you herewith the telegram from Mr." Edr.\i\z to you. We are willing to continue the subscriotion of 500U dollara to the "Soutliern Farm Magazine'" for another year, payments to bo made the same as they have been this year. Wβ-. ; > not doubt hut that the influence of : your publications throughout the South. \a of tlio mos helpful character. —With; )od wishes, I am, very truly yours, JNO. D. ARCHBOLD. These sums are called ''subscriptions ,, -, .but their real character appears from' the case of the "Southern Farm" Maga-* zinc," the price: of Tvhiclrris 50-cents■»' year. Mr. Archbold was tlieref.gre /■'subsenbing':? : .;for; have only to remember that the autii'ust feeling is very strong in. Texas and the other Southern States to realis© why the Standard Oil Trust wae extending its patronage to the remote, posterity of Mr. Thomas P. Grasty, that publicist of such, a "helpful" character. (To be continued.)