Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-04
As EUROPE SEES
HEARST OIL
EXPOSURES
Have Contributed Much To-
ward Cleansing Campaign,
Says Frankfurter Zeitung.

BERLIN, Sept. 3.-The Standard Oil
disclosures and their effect on the pres
idential campaign in the United States
are attracting as much attention in
Germany as the Panama canal matter
and the New York police scandal.
The Frankfurter Zeitung, one of Ger
many's most important and influential
newspapers. says:
The Hearst newspapers in the
United States are evidently making
speciality of telling the public all about
the various contributions the Rockefel-
Ter petroleum trust has paid to indi-
vidual politicians and election funds
In doing this Mr.. Hearst has contrbut-
cd much toward the cleansing of the
political campaign in his country.
"Of course, there can be no objec-
ton if Il wealthy congressman chooses
TO give to his political conviction a
strons financial backing, and if Mr..
Perkins, multi millionaire and former
partner Of the banking firm of Morgan
& Co. really did as it is now claimed.
and contributed $4,000, 600 to the fund
Of the progressive wing of the Repuh-
H.an party, there can be not only no
objection to such a sourse, but there is
room for hope that progressive parties
in other countries may find equally
wealthy and liberal constituents. We
say constituents because Mr. Perkins
has, to our knowledge, represented for
many years the progressive ideas or
the left wing of the Republican party.
il is quite natural. therefore, if he
again takes up the cause of MIR. Roose-
Ne.t
Quite Another Matter
But ii Is unother matter indeed
When commercial firms as such and
corporations or trusts give financial
contributions to political parties or TO
their campaign funds. for commercial
firms and corporations have no polit-
;eaI persuasions. They have political
interests Besides, il used to be uni
Nelsa!ly customary in America that
biz corporations contribute to the
funds of both parties where they were
locally interested or sometimes only the
one side that promised them most in
return. Those We're conditions of the
lowest corruption which it is true have
been strongly repressed today, prin-
cipally under the influence of Roose-
Welt.
one of the best known and most
handy representatives of this old sys.
TEN is Senator PenrOse. reactionary-
Republican representative of Pennsyl-
Vania. No one in the Union was very
81
Hearst gave documentary proof that
I"9rose had received $4,000 from the
Gust in 1904 The excuse of the
'.-.sCd boss before the senate was
III the money had reen for a pres-
H.H' campaign fund. and one Of the
.-'ts Of he trust said that even
i' '.G. tA3t amount had been paid
This ems 30 have happened in
iH. Hua . mJst have been known at
I'll, 'im, but il is also known AMI
ro%tn b.. documentary evidence that
the Standard oil contribution was re-
turned upon the twice uttered and ex-
pieit demand of Roosevelt This may
be the .eaSon why the trust no longer
possessed rsceipted bill for that
100000. but receipt for that $4,000
s'Sned By Penrose which Mr.. Hearst
IHIs no WhiteWashing explanation il
that fact.
me important thing now is the
Io.lucal effect of these corruption dis.
closures and the deliberate attempt to
rag Roosevelt into this affair will per-
nap, receive the support of a portion
o. the press of New York, but it viii
i2I be approved by the public opinion
Q. me United States.
All such attempts to discredit this
progressive leader so far have been
.'Hentdble failures. Even his sharpest
Poltcal antagonists, those who were
- lous and decent men. have always
projected Roosevelt in that respect. II
l5-s been sufficiently shown that imme-
gg,aIeiy before his reelection in 1904 lie
uiU everything in his power to pre-
,e"l the direct or indirect payment into
q party fund of contributions from cor
Io.auons and trusts
ne Republicans were not in great
need Of money at that time, for the
te-eIection of the president was uu-
1'uoted and the financial condition
H't3oslng the party was very weak.
~ whole affair will rather benefit
roosevelt for it will surely strengthen
ne disgust of decent Americans with
'"e't Two old parties"