Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-09-07
T. R. ANSWERS
PENROSE ATTACK
Denies knowledge Of Standard
OIL Contribution
GIVES LIE TO THE CHARGE
Declares Testimony Of Arehbold and
Penrose Is Attack on Dead Man and
q Reflection on Themselves.

Theodore Roosevelt gave out tho
letter which he has sent 10 Senator
Moses Il. Clapp. chairman Of the sen.
ate committee which Is inyestigat'
ing campaign contributions. before
which Senator Penrose and John ID.
Archbold charged that Mr.. Roosevelt
had been party TO the soliciting and
accepting OF Standard Oil campaign
contributions In 1904.
Mr. Roosevelt almost at the opening
gives the lie In these words:
AS regards the statement OF Mr..
Penrose and Mr.. Archbold that with
my consent or knowledge Mr. Bliss
asked the Standard Oil people for
100000 or any other sum, or re-
ceivcd such sum from them. 1t Is an
unqualified falsehood"
Further on Colonel Roosevelt com
parcs Senator Penrose to grating
policeman. and adds.
His language is precisely the Ian
guage that might be used by black.
mailing police officer In a big city in
advising the keeper OF a law-breaklng
liquor saloon OF a gambling house 70
contribute literally. because otherwise
he might incur hostility in certain
quarters II this language were PROV
ed against the policeman he would be
removed from the police force, and
As 1t Is admitted by the senator. he
should be removed from the senate
Mr.. Roosevelt promises that there
ch la fsftf f,fn ~ ei ~ az
in his primary campaign last spring.
Il wish 10 emphasize the fact he
continues, that the testimony OF Mr.
Archbold and Mr.. penrose in this mat
ter Is an attack on Mr. Bliss, who is
dead. and is also unwtiingly the Sc
verest possible reflection on them
selves; but IL is in no sense any at
tack upon me except in so far that
they assert that the dead man said
that | knew of his request for money
from them.
Il do not believe that Mr.. Bliss said
this any more than | believe their ac-
cusation that Mr.. Bliss deliberately
But please keep in mind that this is
an assault on Mir Bliss and not on
me"
After a sweeping denial of knowl-
edge or consent TO any of the steps in
the transactions as Sc; forth by the
two witnesses, he pays a glowing trib-
ute 10 the memory Of Mr.. Bliss, but
adds that of course he could not say
whether Mr. Bliss had asked for or
had received the money
Further to prove that his skirts are
entirely clean In the matter. although
the skirts of others might not be SO
clean, Mr.. Roosevelt quotes from what
purported TO be an interview with Cor.
nelius n. Bliss. published in the New
York Herald of Dec. "a. 1911. In this
Mr. Bliss is quoted as correcting Ed
ward II. fiarrimans statement that in
1904 he received word OF the desper.
ate state in New York from Mr. Roose.
Welt Mr. Bliss said that he conveyed
that Information to the railroad man.
He discusses the situation and the
steps taken TO raise the 100000. At
the conclusion Of the interview there
are these questions quoted In the
Roosevelt letter. which apparently fur
ther involves Mr. Bliss.
Then the president had nothing 10
do with the raising Of the money!
Answer Not once in the confer.
ence OF the committee wa there any
suggestion that he was doing t. The
only thing that Mr.. Roosevelt had 10
do with such matters was TO issue or
ders that money was no; 70 be accept
ed from this or that persons. His or
ders were ignored, as II was recng.
nized that this was something about
which he must not interfere. and
brooked no Interference
The letter to Senator clapp. which
is about $4,000 words long. goes eX.
haustively into his correspondence
with Chairman Corielyou. OF Oct %
and ~. In which il is ordered that the
100000 from the Standard oil com.
pany be returned at once. although
the sum is not mentioned, all Of which
was just after the time that Alton u
Parker had first made his charge tina;
the Republican nominee and his chair.
man were obtaining money from the
great corporations In an effective way.
II pays Its respects To Mr.. Penrose
and tells OF the removal OF a Penrose
henchman Of the name OF Bum from
the Philadelphia postotiice. and then
II sets forth in full the famous White
House statement OF the night OF Nov.
4. In which Judge Parker is castigat.
ed for accusing Mr.. Cortelyon and the
nominee Of holding up corporations
The often printed Hartman cores.
pondence is reprinted in full. and af-
ter announcing Collector Loeb. then
private secretary. as corroborating
witness. mention is made OF Senator
Jonathan Bourne as an Intermediary
for Standard oil at about the time 'he
suits were to be brought
incidentally paragraph is infested
TO give the colonel an opportunity TO
praise William II Hearst for his pub.
Nc service az high importance. and
Mr.. Hearst Is requested 20 publish
everything he has OF the Archbold let.