Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-05-12
PARKINSON
ACCUSES
CAMPBELL
CLAIMS PRESIDENT OF THE U.
OF. 0. OFFERED HIM $4,000 TO
TURN DOWN REFERENDUM Pc.
TITIONS AGAINST APPROPRIA.
TIONS.

The Oregonian this morning has a
long story concerning an alleged at
tempt on the part of President Camp
bell of University of Oregon, who had
attempted to bribe him not to file
referendum petitions against univer-
sity appropriations, $4,000 being
the bait.
H. j. Parison, until recently edi-
tor of the Portland Labor Press,
made the direct and specific charge
yesterday that P. L. Campbell, presi-
dent of the University of Oregon, had
made him an offer of money not to
/ file referendum petitions against
university appropriations aggregating
$5O3,O0O, provided by the last leg
islature for increased maintenance
and additional buildings for that in
stitution.
Mr.. Parkison asserts that the at
tempted bribery by President Camp
bell involved $4,000. He declares
that President Campbell mentioned
that amount Of money as being ade-
quate to reimburse Mr.. Parkison for
the expense he had incurred in cir
culating the referendum petitions
against the university, and at the
same time compensate him for "his
time and labor" in that connection.
Anti-PetitiOn Deal Alleged.
Further allegation is made by Mr..
Parkison that the members of a COM
mittee OF Cottage Grove citizens, who
were cooperating with him in circu-
lating the referendum petitions, have
abandoned their activity in calling
the referendum on the university ap-
preparations. In a statement made
last night, Mr.. Parkinson processes to
have knowledge that the action of
the Cottage Grove committee was
influenced by deal made between
Mr.. Dixon, of Eugene, and one of
the members of the committee, the
alleged transaction taking place in
Eugene last Saturday afternoon.
Details Conversation.
But what about my moral respon-
sibilities in the matter?" l asked.
SO far as that is concerned an
swered Mr.. Campbell, there will be
no trouble arranging that. If you
insist we can arrange for meetings
of the interested citizens of McMinn-
vile and Cottage Grove and have
them authorize you not to file the pc
titions they have assisted to circu-
late and sign 1t could be depended
upon that sufficient number of the
| friends of the university would attend
these meetings to insure vote au-
thorizing you to take that action.
Answering these proposals
plainly told Mr. Campbell that, while
| was a poor man. l would not enter
tain his proposals. insisted that the
petitions had been circulated in good
faith and that the men who had
signed the petitions also had acted
in good faith. / maintained, that, in
view of these conditions the petitions
we're in fact a public record, and that
it was not for me in any way to lend
my hand to any movement that
would defeat the expressed wishes of
the signers that the referendum be
called on the two appropriation
measures. This concluded the inter-
view and we left the restaurant.
THE facts as l have related them
concerning the conversation in the
T6Sldu III dllJ anu Jnt COllN Cl otIlOll ltSSil
are as early verbatim as it is possible
for me to recall. l am ready to make
an affidavit attesting the Gorrectness
of the conversation as it took place,
and as | have recited it,
Mr.. Campbell Denies.
The accusation of Mr. Parkison
was denied positively by President
Campbell from his home at Eugene
last night.
II have not yet seen Mr.. Parki-
sons article and cannot answer it in
detail" said President Campbell
"but in response to your request for
statement, will say that l have new
er offered Mr.. Parkison a bribe, nor
suggested to him bribe, nor thought
of offering him bribe."
Dw,.0LntaaalIu nnV,iau