The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-09-22
EMBARRASSING FOR PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT.

ity of the voters were not satisfied
with the listless campaign that was
conducted by the Democratic COM
mittee, and, in the closing days, it
was apparent that the fight was
hopelessly involved through the
blunders of those at the helm.
1t will be remembered however
that about two weeks before the
election, Judge Parker took the
stump and made a number ofspeeches,
in which he charged that the support
of President Roosevelt was largely
from the result of tremendous cam
paign fund collected from corpora
tons who expected to profit by Re-
publican success. The tenor of his
speeches aroused the ire of Mr..
Roosevelt, who came out IN a high
tempered interview denying the
statements and calling upon the
author to establish their authentic
itv. 1t is sad to relate that Judge
Parker, with the evidences certainly
in hand, else he would not have
made the charges, failed to substan-
tate his utterances and the reply
that he made was regarded as a
weak defense, convincing the voters
of the correctness of the Presidents
interview.
A year has not elapsed since Presi-
dent Roosevelt went on record to the
effect that he was not profited in his
campaign by contributions from any
of the great corporations, and yet
the country has undoubted proof
that in one particular instance SIM
gle insurance company gave $50, 900
to the Republican campaign fund.
There seems to be no question of
doubt but what this is but an exam
pie OF what every other corporation
of a like nature has done, and the
President, high as he is in the eyes of
his people, is, to put it very mildly,
in an embarrassing position. IT'S
true he has been elected, but sur
rounding this high Office should be a
standard of honor that will not
countenance the mis-statement of
facts even for political advantage.
The strength of this republican form
of government, is the integrity Of its
people, and there is a sense of honor
that cannot be trafficked for votes.
But we will leave Mr.. Roosevelt to
his own conscience, and refer to an
interview with Judge Parker, which
has been given out since these disclos-
ures have been made. The late DEM
ocratic leader does not hesitate to
say that the instance is one of many
that are common with all of the
large insurance companies, and that
if an investigation of railroad, manu-
featuring and other corporations
were made, it would be found that
the officers of life insurance compan-
les were not the only corporation
officials who took money belonging
to widows and orphans to help Sc
cure partisan support.
"Such men desire the triumph of
that party which will better serve
their personal financial interests and
will-for contributions, past, present
and future continue to protect those
interests by lenient legislation and
by pretense at execution of law which |
shall be tenderly blind to all their of
lenses. That party they espouse in
the boardroom, and contribute to
it of the moneys they hold in trust,
and, occasionally, little of their
own. The underlying principles which
divide the great mass of people into
parties have no effect upon such men.
Their one inquiry is, will the party
organization in the hour of triumph
our generosity, and re-
spond to our demands" Of course
the organization does remember
for it expects a similar contribution
next time. And the expectation is
not in vain. Last year was not
the first time. Such contributions
had been made before in national,
state and municipal elections.
"The officers responsible for these
raids upon the treasures of corpor-
atoms have received their reward i'll
management OF life insur-
ance corporations; in unembarassed
raids upon the public through trusts
condemned by both common and
statute laws; in refusal to punish
the officers of railroad and
other corporations violating the
laws, and in statutory permission to
manufacturing corporations to levy
tribute on the people.
"There can be no hope of checking J