The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-14

ators receiving these little nissivas were
Aldrich. Hale and Spooner Proba bly, all
wotfld have gone well had not one Of the
R0ckefaIlers committed the awful blum
der OF sendiuga message to Senator
Lodge. The moment Afr. Lodge read his
teIegram and saw the name that was
signed to it he saw his opportunity. He
went straight to the White House and
laid his prize before the president The
chance TO get back" at the Standard
Oil trust was too good a one to be lost.
and the press association was called in
90 alu IN giving 50 Broadway dose OF
publicity It had not dreamed OF
This is the story. The man who clear
ed up the mystery said the Standard Oil
people acted in perfect good faith- Their
innocence was shown by the fact that
they used the wires SO freely. signing
their names. ana with no efforts al con-
cealment- They never dreamed that the
thing would get into the newspapers.
and never ina gined that it was a mat
ter that newspapers OF the public would
care anything about In other words
they could see no reason in the world
why they had not as much right as any
one else to favor or to oppose any pro-
posed piece Of legislation. They knew
that other business men were in the
habit Of sending kilograms to senators.
They knew that New York bankers and
corporation people are constantly send
ing messages to their friends In congress
or dtspatchiug agents over here TO have
things fixed up. They knew that the
tariff bills, for instance. are invariably
fixed almost exactly as the interested
manufacturers want them fixed. word
for word. letter for letter, figure for fig
ure. Why should they be debarred from
exercising the same privilege TO the e-e-
tent of their abilitv2
1t never occurred TO the Standard oil
people that they were putting their feet
la It, and unto hornets nest at that.
They were dumbf0unded when they saw
the whole thing in the newspapers They
were exceedingly angry at President
Roosevelt and Senator Lodge They
think mean. scurvy trick was played
upon them and they intend to get
even at the first opportunity. This is
the news which comes on most excellent
authority from New York President
Roosevelt only laughs at the threats
which he hears the eighty Broadway
people are making against him He
says that Of all the bun lcuk that ever
came his W-ay-and he doesn't deny that
he has had his share-this hatred Of the
Standard oil crowd is by long odds the
brightest and best
over in New York opinion is divided
The older more conservative business
men side with the BOOKSELLERS. and say
IL was a mean trick to play: that an
unfair advantage was taken. and that
the whole thing is rather demagogueish
Iney say we have come to q pretty pass
when business man cant exercise the
right Of petition where their interests
dragged into the newspapers IN this
way Many of this class are Inclined
20 regard the episode as another reason
why Mr. Roosevelt is not to be trusted
in the White House
But a majority Of New Yorkers are
vastly amused at the neat manner ia
which Teddy caught the so Broadway
crowd These people do not blame the
Standard Oil officials for trying TO in
fuence legislation. They do blame them
for playing their game in such a clumsy
manner and getting caught at it. The
prevailing comment among the younger
men Of Nsw York is that the Standard
Oh outfit IS not 50 dreadfuIly sleep as
they have been cracked N to be