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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1912)
AUGUST 30, 1918 13 The Commoner. that they had sent telegrams to vari ous senators and representatives against it. I got hold of these tele grams, published some of them and forced the bill through. "Mr. Archbold shows his animus in his rather ludicrous complaint that 'darkest Africa never saw any thing like the persecution of the Standard Oil corporation by the Roosevelt administration,' and ho proceeds, unwillingly, to pay Messrs. Garfield and Smith the highest praise by his bitterness to them for their action. I do not wonder that he feels so bitterly. The action in question disclosed all kinds of improper prac tices on the part of the Standard Oil company and a colossal serieB of re bates. A stop was put to these re bates because of the action of the people in my administration and through the action a fine was im posed by Judge Landis on the Stand ard Oil company, which, if It had not been reversed by the appellate di vision, would really have made that corporation smart; and even as it was, it forced them to act properly. "It seems to me that the course of Mr. Penrose in this matter and the bringing of Mr. Archbold to testify bear close analogies to what in the New York police situation at this time would be called a 'frame up,' and this is Bhown by the questions which Mr. Archbold is asked and those he is not asked. "He is allowed to testify about a dead man's statement, to make a cruelly unjust assault upon the char acter of that dead man, whom I be lieve to have been one of the most honorable and highminded pf gentle men, but he has not testified any thing about Mr. Penrose. In that case he would not be testifying about -what he had done and said and about what Mr. Penrose had done and said. It appears, that Penrose, while a member of the industrial commis sion, received the check of $25,000 from Mr. Archbold and that he was serving on that commission in a pe culiarly confidential relation to Mr. Archbold, among the instances of his position as Mr. Archbold's represen tative on the committee being that he communicated in advance to Mr. Archbold, the report which the in dustrial commission was about to make and secured his approval in ad vance of its publication. "Mr. Penrose and Mr. Archbold should both be examined upon this transaction to see if there can be any possible way in which they can ex plain it or in which Mr. Penrose can justify himself. The transaction it self and the whole alliance between Mr. Penrose and Mr. Archbold and Mr. Penrose's action In connection therewith are a startling example of the workings of that invisible empire to whose reign we intend to put to an end. "These documents show that Mr. Penrose, nominally the representa tive of the people, was secretly and in the dark acting as the representative of Mr. Archbold. Mr. Archbold's tes timony shows that he sought to got and hoped to get from me and my administration some improper con sideration, and he comes now to the defense of his friend and ally, Mr. Penrose par noblie fratrum and assails me because he could not in fluence me, because under my ad ministration justice was meted out to him and his kind as it should have been meted out. "His complaint against me is that neither through political pressure nor the use of money in politics . could he exercise any influence over me, and his complaint is just. "I feel that the country has a right to expect the committee to refuse to permit Mr. Archbold to go away until he has testified to every act within his knowledge; He should thus tes tify and he should thus testify now. He and Mr. Penrose both should be rigorously cross-examined as to the transactions between them so as to see what explanation they can pos sibly give as to the correspondence between them when Mr. Penrose was a member of the Industrial com mission, and both should be rigorous ly examined as to all their relations together in previous years. "Meanwhile, I wish to thank them both for having made it clear beyond possibility of doubt that I am the man whom the Penroscs and Archbolds of the country most dread in public life." SECRET IS BARED BY ODELL Special dispatch to Cincinnati Enquirer: Washington, D. C, August 14. Former Governor B. B. Odell, of New York, appeared before the senate committee which is inves tigating campaign contributions to day and shed illumination on the much-discussed contribution of E. H. Harriman to the republican campaign of 1904, following the memorable in vitation of Harriman to tho White House by President Roosevelt. Odell told in detail what he knew of the matter, and portrayed Harriman as a reluctant visitor to tho executivo mansion, where Mr. Roosevelt had invited him to lunch. Harriman went expecting to be asked for funds, and he was. It has always been represented by Colonel Roosevelt and his friends that the Harriman contribution was raised solely because the state of New York was in desperate straits from a republican standpoint, and that all the money raised by the rail road magnate was turnod in to tho New York campaign. But Mr. Odell made it clear that Harriman raised $40,000, which the national com mittee did not turn over to the state committee. Harriman collected $240, 000 for the national committee fol lowing his White House visit, and only $200,000 of this went to the state committee. "In October of 1904," began Mr. Odell, "I was requested by Mr. Har riman to lunch with him. I went to his office, and during lunch he showed me a letter from President Roosevelt asking him to come to Washington. I was chairman of the state committee that year. Mr. Har riman asked me what I supposed the president wanted. "I told him my opinion was that he wanted to consult with him as to New York and tho financial condi tion of the national committee. Mr. Harriman said he did not want to go, but after talking it over, he told me he would. I requested him to bring the president's attention to the sena torial situation in New York and tell him that the organization was in favor of Governor Black for senator, but yet had a kindly feeling toward Senator Depew, and would like to have him taken care of; that if Mr. Roosevelt could do so it would bo a happy solution for him to ap point Senator Depew ambassador to France. m , , "Mr. Harriman came to Washing ton, and a few days afterward I again had luncheon with him," continued Mr. Odell. His narrative was inter rupted by questions, and every sena tor gave close attention. "They told me I was correct that the president was anxious about the financial condition of the national committee and would like to have Mr. Harriman's help. Mr. Harriman said he asked about the senatorial matter, and the president said that if it was necessary he would do as I requested. Mr. Harriman said he was ready to help the national com mittee. I suggested that he wait until the committee exhausted other resources before he gave assistance. Subsequently Mr. Cortelyou came to my office and said ho was unable to raise the rest of the money for the state committee. The 'rest' amounted to about $200,000. I said it was an embarrassing situation for me, and ho asked if I could holp out. I re plied I would sco. "Later I called up Mr. Harriman and told him if ho desired to holp tho national committee that it was tho. proper time to do so. He asked mo to have Mr. Bliss and Mr. Cortel you come down to sec him. "I communicated with them and they went. Later that day Mr. Har riman telephoned me that he had made arrangements for tho raising of monoy and had raised $240,000, which he had turned over to Mr. Bliss. That samo day Mr. Bliss came over and gave me tho national com mittee's check, signed by himself as treasurer, for $200,000." Early in tho campaign Mr. Odell said he got $100,000 from the com mittee for a canvass of New York city and later $50,000 for manning the polio during registration. In all, $300,000 of an expected $500,000 was turnod over before Mr. Cortelyou called on him to ray he was unablo to pay tho rest. "There was no question in my mind as to tho success of the national and state tickets that year," Mr. Odell continued. "What embarrassed mo "was that I had agreed to givo to tho various district chairmen in Now York along tho Hudson river and in the counties on Long Island, consist ing of 2,300 districts and containing 800,000 voters, this $200,000 tho na tional committee owed me:" Chairman Clapp called attention to George R. Sheldon's testimony that Mr. Bliss had informed him that Mr. Odell was alarmed over tho success of tho state ticket and asked for help for that reason, and that tho Harriman contribution was not made through the national committee, but through tho state committee. Mr. Odell insisted that ho was cor rect and Mr. Sheldon was in error. "Sometimes a person in politics will tell white lies," ventured Mr. Odell. "What do you mean," demanded Senator Clapp, "that Mr. Sheldon told this committee white lies?" "Oh, no. I mean that Mr. Bliss may not have given Mr. Sheldon the exact situation," returned the for mer governor. Some senator suggested Mr. Odell might not have told Mr. Bliss the correct situation, but Mr. Odell de clared he was so close to Mr. Bliss that he would never have thought of concealing anything from him. . Senator Clapp asked a second time if Mr. Odell was sure the Harriman contribution was made through the national committee. "Absolutely," replied Mr. Odell. "Are you sure Mr. Cortelyou was a party to tho arrangement to give to New York state $500,000?" "To the best of my recollection." "In addition Co contributions from the national committee, Mr. Odell, the state that year collected about $200,000 from other sources." Ho could not remember who con tributed tho latter amount, but wafl sure none of tho "trusts" were con tributors. Mr. Odoll's testimony ended with a few qucsions about tho campaign of 1908. PROGRESSIVE REPURLICAXS TO WORK FOR WILSON An Associated Press dispatch from Chicago says: Joseph 13. Davicn of Wisconsin, secretary of tho demo cratic national committee, announced that Rudolph Sprcckles of California and John Hlaln of Wisconsin, both supporters of Senator Robert M. La olletto in his campaign for the repub lican nomination, had agreed to head an organization to work for Wood row Wilson In tho presidential cam paign. According to tentative plans of the democratic managers, tho or ganization will bo known as tho Wil son national progressive republican league and will make an activo fight in support of Wilson among republi cans. In reply to a telegram from United States Senator Gore of Okla homa, one of tho democratic leaders at tho Chicago headquarters, Mr. Sprcckles telegraphed that he would bo glad to act as president of tho proposed league. Mr. Blain, who did considerable of tho work of Mr. La Folletto's prc-con-vontion campaign, also telegraphed that he would assist Mr. Sprcckles in perfecting tho organization of tho league. It was said Mr. Sprcckles would organizo tho western division of tho league at San Francisco, then como to Chicago and organizo tho middle western division, and finally go to New York to open an eastern headquarters. Allied with Mr. Sprcckles and Mr. Bain in this work will be Charles R. Crane of Chicago, also formerly activo in tho republi can party. 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