Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-02-27
Challenges STANDARD OIL Sill.
VER.TONGUED ORATOR.
An Open Letter From the Author of
"FrenZied Finance" to James n.
Beck, Leading Orator of Standard
Oil System, Asking for a Public
Debate in Boston. Asks no Odds,


Lawson has issued the following open
letter to James NJ. Beck, ExAssistant
Attorney General OF the United States,
now counsel and chef orator for the
Standard Oil company and the system.
"Mr. Beck:
Last February you came to Boston as
counsel for Henry NJ. Rogers, and on the
eve of the gas trial in the Massachusetts
supreme court, where Mr.. Rogers and
myself were to testify, you tried to have
me match up my testimony.
81 refused. Shortly after 'frenzied
finance began and you and James H.
Eckles, ex.comptroller of currency OF the
United States, now representative of the
system in the west, were selected to
sling mud at me at public dinners and
banquets, he in the west and you in the
east and you have both been Industrious
lily at 1t wherever you knew it was sale.
that is, wherever you were sure could
not answer you, and now tonight, at the
dinner of the Boston Life Underwriters
association here in my own city you are
again to unlimber your mud guns
"The International League of press
clubs is endeavoring to raise the remain.
ing $4,000 fund for building and equip
ping home for journalists. J. Pierpont
Nor. an has agreed to furnish the last
IS 900 provided the fund is raised before
June 30. l am asked to furnish 5000.
1t is, as you know, most worthy cause.
You and your bosses of the STANDARD Oii'
am algamated, city bank-'big three'-in.
surance crowd have never yet in your
attacks upon the public or individual
members OF the public been known to
come out in the open, but have always
made your cowardly attacks when you
were sure it was safe.
Therefore, make the following offer:
If you. the recognized mouthpiece of the
Standard Oil' its leading orator, man
so thoroughly versed in public declama-
ton as to stand in the very front ranks
of the great public speakers of this
country, will meet me at Faneuil hall,
the cradle Of American liberty and free
speech, meet me, the layman, who has
never delivered public address, aud
there debate the crimes and cowardly
villainies Of your employers within ten
days of the assault you are to make upon
me in the house of your friends tonight.
will pay over to the Journalist League
the sum Of Sc, 900 and if you decide it is
best we will raise further sum by
charging admission to the hall. I think
we could easily raise the entire fund Of
$4,000 by such means. If you will
bring along your talented colleague from
the west, Mr.. Eckels, so much the bet.
ter, and if you wish, will consent to
have every ticket in the hall sold to your
friends and will also ask no odds but
to reply to what you say.
snow, Mr.. Beck, will you dare to help
this good cause and incidentally give the
people one honest chance to learn the
truth. You have made onslaughts on me
in public addresses, where have had no
opportunity to answer. In your last ad.
dress at Philadelphia you called me a
'frenzied fakir, wild run.a.muck malay
In spite Of your wages from Standard
Oil' you surely will not prove yourself 90
cowardly as to do this and not accept my
proposition.
81 will await your answer in the re.
ports which 1 will read tomorrow of
what you say in the house of your
friends, the insurance people.
February 21, 1905.
"THos. B. LAWSON"