The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-30
GETTING AT THE TRUTH.

One of these days the whole truth
about the campaign of 1896 will be
told in every detail. 1t will then be
seen that in order to defeat the will
of the people the trusts and the men
who get their millions by government
favoritism resorted to every crime
against a fair expression of the will of
the people known in any age or coun-
try Bribery of the voter and intimi-
dation were open and notorious but
these alone do not account for thwart-
ing the will of the people. 1t required
the purchase of election officers in
the doubtful states. For that much
money was required. 1t was paid and
the result was what the money was
put up to secure.
Mr.. Lawson is doing the country a
stirred the conscience of the American
people and startled the men whose
continued rapid increase in wealth is
put in jeopardy by his exposures.
In his January contribution Mr..
Lawson gives the story of how ten
days before the election in 1896 Maris
Hanna went to New York and called
Standard Oil Trust, and other trus.
magnates. and told them that unless
something was speedily done. Bryan's
election was certain. Here is the.
story as told by Mr.. Lawson:
He Oh. H. Rogers) began by letting
me into the secret that the chances
of a Mckinley victory in the election
the following week looked pretty bad,
and that the latest canvass of the
states showed that unless something
radical We're done. Bryan would surely
win. Hanna called into consultation
half a dozen of the biggest financiers
in Wall street and il was decided to
turn at least five of the doubtful states.
To do this a fund of $5,000,0O0 had
been raised under Rogers direction. to
be turned over to Mark Hanna alc
McKinley's cousin. Osborne. through
John Moore, the Wall street broker
who was acting as Rogers representa-
tive in collecting money.
Lawson said Mr.. Rogers looking
at me with intense and deadly seri
BUSINESS, his voice charged with con-
viction, 'if Bryan'S elected there will
be such a panic in this country as
the world has never seen, and with
MS money ideas aud the crazy headed
radicals he will call to Washington to
administer the nations affairs, business
will surely be destroyed and the work
ing people suffer untold misery. You
know we all hate to do what Uncle
Mark says is necessary. but it's CASE:
of some of us sacrificing something
for the country's good. Bryan's cleo
ton would set our country back
century, and | believe it is the sacred
duty of every honest American to do
what he can to save his land from
such a calamity"
1.-The Systems conscience has its
own quaint logic---the logic of self in
terest--and this is how it reasoned:
The election of Bryan would disturb
our control of American institutions.
therefore American institutions WOula
be destroyed by Bryan's election. On
US, the system deyolves the sacred
il expensive duty of saving the nation,
and, however abnorrent TO our fine
moral sense. patriotism compelS us to
spend millions in bribing and corrupt
ing the electorate so that virtue. Stan
dard Oil, and j. =. Morgan may con-
tinue the good work of caring for the.
public's interests as their own
1T was SO essentially in harmony
with the Standard Oil code Every.
thing for God tour God) God Com
Cod in everything willingness
10 commit even the greatest wrong.
subVerting the will of the people in
the exercise of their highest function
the election OF a president-but
only that good (their good) might
come of it. 1t was no more than sell
fish greed tricked out in the noble
trappings of morality. an infamous
crime disguised is patriotism.
One of these DAYS we shall have the
story of how the money was applied,
and then the belief Of the men who
have always believed that Bryan was
elected will be confirmed.