Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-10-08
GREAT TURMOIL IN
THE POLITICAL ARENA
Three=Cornered Controversy Which
Has Aroused Intense Interest
Throughout the Nation.
FORAKER AND HASKELL OUT.
Summary of the Charges and Coun-
ter Charges Which Have Been
Made by Eminent Men.
Chicago correspondence


The controversy between the Presi-
dent, Mr. Bryan and Gov. Haskell has
attained such absorbing violence. and
has opened up so many questions hav-
ing no real relevance to the national is
sue, that the average man perhaps feels
somewhat beWildered as he wades
through the reams of language which
the newspapers print because of the
eminence of the persons who use it. The
following summary has been made for
the convenience of readers who may
wish to know what the present uproar,
from Washington even unto Oklahoma
and back, is all about:
/. W. r. Hearst of the Independence
party charged that Senator Foraker had
been corruptly influenced in politics and
legislation by money paid him by the
Standard Oil Company, citing as proof
certain letters which are said to have
been obtained from that company's office
| files.
,. Senator Foraker explained that 500
600 alleged to have been paid him with
corrupt motives had not. in fact. been
paid to him at all, but was a loan through
him to a man who wanted to buy a lead
ing Ohio newspaper. and that these nego-
| tiatiOns having failed, the money was re-
turned to the lenders. With respect to
| other sums referred to in the Standard
| Oil letters Senator Foraker was less spe-
ciic, giving the general impression that
| they were fees for services as legal coun-
sel-services which began before he was
| lected to the Senate and which, he said,
| ceased before the Standard Oil Company
was attacked by the White House and the
| Department of Justice. With that ex-
| PLANTATION, which many regard as some
what inadequate, Senator Foraker with
drew from participation in the national
| campaign.
3. Thereupon the President entered the
| controversy and endeavored to show that
if some Republicans were wicked some
| Democrats were wicleder He identified
the zone Haskell" whom it had been al
legged had made attempts to bride Frank
S. Monnett, one time Attorney General
of Ohio, with Gov. c. n Haskell of
Oklahoma. treasurer of the Democratic
national committee.
4. Thereupon Mr.. Bryan challenged the
President to produce proofs that Mr..
| Haskell had anything whatever to do
with the attempts to corrupt Monnett or
that Mr.. Haskel's Ohio record was in
any way improbable.
>. Then the President came back. dis
! cussing at length the alleged malfeasance
of Mr.. Haskell in connection with an
| Oklahoma ramification of the Standard
| Oil Company. in the matter of an Okla
homa child labor bill. and with respect to
the management of the Oklahoma State
| university.
| 6. simultaneously Gov. Haskell issued
| manifesto asking how the domestic
affairs of Oklahoma became q national
| concern. and showing, as he says. that the
favor he was said to have extended to the
oil company was simply a recognition of
vested rights conferred upon it by the
| Secretary of the Interior before Oklahoma
| was a State.
I. Next came Gov. Haskells resgna-
ton as treasurer of the Democratic ma
| tional committee. In his letter of resig
| nation Gov. Haskell denied the charges
made against him. but said he resigned
| in order that nothing should be permit
ted to cloud the real issues in the cam
paign and because he desired Mr.. Bryans
election. He declared he would subject
both President Roosevelt and Mr.. Hearst
to the penalties of the law