Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-24
FOR AI<ER AND STANDARD OIL.
N'rom the New York Worldl

The World has no sympa thy with Sen
ator Foraker but neither IS it disposed
to exult over his downfall. The cause II
his political ruin make 1t not a private
but n public tragedy
II is no mere personal or party matter
when one Of the al lsst senators in the
Congress Of the United States Is found
to have been secretly employed by the
Standard on company. to have been
paid lobbyist OF tho Standard Oil COM
pany. even to have borrowed money from
the Standard OIL for tho purchase Of n
newspaper which was 10 have been used
to mislcad public opinion. II IS no mere
personal or party matter when the OK
posurn Of this senator's secret relations
with Standard OIL helps TO discredlt
everything which he advocated In pub
lie affairs, the good we'll as the bad
I It was Senator Foraker who led tho
| fight against n railroad-rate bill which
| places in the hands Of the President such
! tremendous powers that the greatest in
ducemcntS arc offered To tho railroads 10
control the presidency II WAS Senator
Foraker who doned the whole national
administration - his party and fear
lessly chanponed the cause ~, the
friendless colored troops whom Mr.
| Roosevelt arbitrarily dismissed with dis
honor from the service II was Senator
Foraker who led the fight within the Re
publican party against Mt Roosevclt's at
tempt to have his own successor through
the agency 81 an army If federal office
holders II was Senator Foraker who
more than any democrat in Congress-.
did the work Of tho Democratic party in
| providing an able. Intelligent. aggressive
| opposition to one-man government and
| autocrat!c power.
Unfortunately the stencil Of Standard
! oil now extends far beyond the senator
! himself II clincs to everything he repre-
! scented and smothcrs every action. how
ever courageous or disintcrestcd
large element Of the public will be-
lieve that he fought against the rate bill
only because the Standard Oil cor,anv
! opposed II that he championed tho color
| ed troops because the standard oil com,
pany believed It was an effective way %
attacking the President: thet he was
against Mr. Tafts nomination onl, no
cause the Standard on companv was
against It: that he resisted personal gov-
eminent only hsCause the STANDARD OIL
| company was inrcnscd by Mr. Eoosoyol,,s
| course In prosecuting g.
For wears to come dcma coCues on thn
platform will cite the Foraker BETRAYAL
~ trust as an argument IN favor Of every
sort Of wildcat LEGISLATION that ottacFs
! property. Socialist orators will refer 70
Il as proof that capitalists control the
government and that Congress IS only
the tool OF the money power Anarchists
will rejoice in It ms ev.len>e that the re-
public IS rotten.
Senator Toraher's punishment has boon
swift. thanks to an enligh-cned and ir
rcsiStablc public conscience Mr. tn ~
has severed relations with him The re-
publican organization has abandoned
him. His state will repudiatr him II he
Is candidate fo- recollection His noli-
teal career ,s eI.Grd, fiu, 'he evil will
survive.
Joseph Benson Foraker Is done for. hut
the Standard OIL company remains TO-
day what II was yesterday and what I,
has been for many years. the GRANTEES,
single corporation eroncy o. politica,
corruption known TO American history.