Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-21

for reforms in political conditions
had been urging a restoration Of the control
of government to the people and had been asserting
that the government was more in the control of
great financial interests than in the control Of the
mass of the citizenship.
had cited more or less familiar instances to
prove that many socaed representatives of the
people in public life generally, and in the national
congress particularly were in reality representa-
tives of powerful corporations, and declared my
belief that these misrepresentation of the people
were under greater secret obligations to the inan
cial interests than they under open and ac
knowedgcd obligation to the voters
If the old parties could not be purified,
urging the formation of party that should
be free from corporation control and from trust
domination.
On the afternoop of the day on which ! was to
speak at Columbus gentleman called me at my
hotel and submitted to me a number Of letters which
have since become known as the Standard Oil let
ters.
These letters were mainly to and from certain
we-known representatives of the Standard Oil
Company, and tended to prove positively all the
assertions that / had been making in regard to the
improper interference of great privilege-seeking
country
There appeared to be no doubt about the genu-
ineness of the letters and the only question then
the proprety of making them public.
A close study of the contents of the letters con
WINGED me Immediately that it was not only right
and proper for me to make them public, but it was
my duty as a citizen to apprise my fellow citizens
of the existence of conspiracy to betray them in
their government
If had found document which showed that
our country about to be invaded by an enemy,
and failed to deliver that document to the con-
stituted authorities and to those responsible for the
protection of the country would have been little
better than traitor.
felt then, and | have always felt since that if
| had failed to apprise the citizens of the conspr-
acy against them would have failed in my duty to
my fellow citizens and would have been little better
than traitor to their interests
OF course, the organs of special privilege una
bic to deny the letters and unable to defend the
writers of them had nothing left to do but to at
tack the propriety of their publication.
These attorneys of the trusts declared that the
letters were private letters and that to make them
public was to betray private correspondence In
answer to those critics published the following re-
ply and have nothing to add to it:
If discover any letters which tend to
show that the peoples representatives in the
pay of the privileged interests and traitorous-
ly betr9ying the people to these privileged inter
ests. VIII certainly inform the people Of these
dangerous and disgracefu conditions
cant cbe aS Pegn bo great 5o deal OF hyPoerea
exposed, about the improperly of publicly reading
private letters do not consider that letters
ten to public men on matters affecting the public
interests and threatening the public welfare
private letters.
do not consider that the offer of a $4,000
bride by privileged corporation "A public serv-
ant to betray public trust Is a private
ton.
II any found a letter which Indicated thai
official Of the government betraying
interests of the government to foreign enemy it
would be his duty TO make IL public, and he
be faithless to his duty if he did make
public.
If any man finds the proof that an official in
public life is betraying the that the people
repose in hin, to any criminal corporation for any
corrupt compensation. it is the duty of that ma
inform the citizens Of the fact, and if find such
proof ! will surrender it to the citizens and do
my best to help the citizens bring the guilty culprn
to justice.
I have letter in my possession written by
George Washington the who were plan
ming TO capture Major Andre and expose Benedict
Arnold. George Washington plotted { intercept
private letter this very public question.
The Andre letter intended be read
10y General Washingtou
The Andre letter q private letter but writ
ten by public enemy to a political traitor.
Feorse, washington intercepted IT, made ii pub
Arnold II he could have caught him
He did not to think that there was impro
priety in exposing and Furnishing treachery and
rssoaliy wherever he found it and however he
found t. He did not think that there was
- any Vioabe secrecy in the private letter public
&E# scoundre.
think safely follow George Washing.
toms example.
Having decided upon the genuineness of the let.