The Irish standard., 1907-03-16
SOME HISTORY.

SOME HISTORY.
George w. Perkins has returned to
the treasury OF the United States $50
600, which he, as vice president of
the New York Life Insurance Com
pany. contributed to the Republican
National Campaign in 1904 This act is
important because it returns small
portion of the money that has been
taken from policy holders, but it is
more important because of the effect
that it will have in the future. How
will this admission of one of the dis
graccd insurance magnates effect the
political careers of President Roosevelt
and Secretary Cortelyou? The insur-
ance Investigations have been the
means Of instructing the people of the
country upon the means that have
been used to bring about political re-
suits. Men who have been paying life
insurance permiums on policies in
tended to protect their families from
want know how their money has been
used. What the motives of insurance
officers We're is also well known. 1t
cannot be denied, either, that one of
the direct results of these contribu-
tions was the election of Theodore
Roosevelt to the presidency. He was
the beneficiary, willing or unwilling.
n
Of the Treasury, was at the time these
contributions were made chairman of
the Republican National Campaign
Committee. He was also Immediately
afterwards made Postmaster General
OF the United States. The sworn tes-
timony in the insurance investigation
shows that in 1904 Perkins paid from
the funds Of the New York Life to
the Republican National Committee
the sum of $4S,7O2.5O. Tho records of
the Postofficc department discloses
that, in 1905. George B. Cortelyou, as
Postmaster General of the United
States. made a ten-year contract with
the International Mercantile Marine.
of which George w. Perkins was then
the American manager. This contract
provided for the carrying of the
mails by said International Mercan-
tale Marine for the agreed price of
$762,63S.40 per year for ten years, or
over seven and a half million dollars
for the entire time. The records of the
Postoffice department also disclose
that. at the time of making said con-
tract. MIR. Cortclyou had before him
reports from his own superintendent
of foreign mails that this service could
have been obtained from other quar-
tcrs for one-third of the money. For
ten years, this would make a gift to
Mr.. Perkins and his associates Of
nearly s5,oOO.ooO. Mr.. Perkins can at
ford to return to the policy holders
Of the Now York Life the s4s,-
7o2.50, together with interest and vet
make Il handsome profit on his deal
with Mr.. George b. Cortelyou. chair
man of the National Republican Com
mittee. Postmaster General Of the
United States and general organizer
for Theodore Roosevelt. president of
the United States. Yet people wonder
why there is a deficit in the Postoftice
department
We have too high an opinion of the
integrity of Theodore Roosevelt to be-
lieve that he was a knowing and will
ing party to the transaction. 1t must
be humliating to him to realize that
he was in a way the beneficiary. He
could and would have been elected
President of the United States without
the tainted aid of the insurance
thieves.
The latest act on the part of Mr..
Perkins ought surely to have some in
fiuence upon the heretofore unimpeded
rise to positions of power of George
B. Cortelyou. No thinking person can
believe that he did not know the
source from which the funds came.
1t is impossible to believe that he did
not know when he entered into the
contract with the International Mer.
4