The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1912-10-22
PERKINS ANGRY
ON The STAND
DenOnnceS PenrOSe and Hill.
les as SIandererS.
WOULD SUMMON ACCUSERS

Asks Committee to Compel Them te
Prove Their Assertions or Take
Them Bsck-Thomas r. Ryan Tell,
Of Liberal Contributions.
Washington, Oct. 22.-George w.
Perkins denounced as an "unm!tigated
falsehood" the charge that he had un.
derwritten the Roosevelt preconven.
ton campaign this year in the sum OF
$1,000, 900. He testified that his total
contributions were s12e,5O0.
Rising from the witness chair before
the Clapp committee and shaking a
Slenched fist Mr.. Perkins shouted:
"Ameng the long list Of unmitIgated
lies throughout this campaign that
statement perhaps ought to be placed
at the top, because it is largest.
Il was in hope that Senator Penrose
would be here. He made that state
ment on the floor of the senate and
he ought to be required to prove it, or
like a gentleman, he ought to take
1t back. There is not a scintilla OF
truth in It,"
Just a minute" interrupted Chair.
man Clapp. "all that is necessary is
that you deny II. All that the com
mittee a do is TO determine the
proof or the absence OF proof"
Mr.. Perkins was not to be stopped.
He continued:
Il want 10 know where l stand. /
want to know whether ! can be
charged with these things on the floor
of the United States senate and not
be given an opportunity to disprove
them"
He insisted that Mr.. Penrose should
be brought before the committee and
say whether his charge was mere hot
air" He did not believe the senator
should be allowed to get away with
the situation"
Did Not Underwrite Campaign.
Did o eve enter into arrange
ment to underwrite any portion OF
Colonel Roosevelt's campaign" he
was asked.
Not one dollar" said Mr.. Perkins.
do you know Of anyone else under
taking TO do so?"
Il do not"
Taking up accusations by Chairman
Hilles that the international Harves-
ter company had made large contribu-
lions to the Roosevelt campaign, Mr..
Perkins declared with heat:
This is an absolute falsehood, made
out Of the whole cloth, and IL Mr..
Hilles has any reason to believe that
contributions have been made by the
harvester company he owes ii to me
and to others to have the books of the
company audited for the purpose OF
proving or d~isproving the accusation"
Here Mr.. Perkins rose from his seat
and protested that he had been will
fed" as no other man had been and
he insisted that the committee require
his TO prove their charges.
Senator Clapp replied that the com
mittee had no g of doing that.
"lf | were president and a subordi-
nate should make such a charge as
Mr.. Hilles has made I should make
him prove II or dismiss him from Of
fce." replied Mr.. Perkins. still stand.
Ing and shaking his hand violently.
Ryan a Liberal Contributor.
Thomas Fortune Ryan was the only
other witness before the committees
morning session.
MI. Ryan first told the committee
that he shouldered s350,0OO of the
debts Of the Democratic national com.
mittee In 1904.
Early in the campaign" he said, Il
gave $4,000 to the fund, although I
was opposed to the nomination OF
Judge Parker. I probably gave $780,
900 in smaller contributions. When
the end of the campaign was drawing
near and ii was apparent Mr.. Parker
could not be elected some of my
came to me and told me the
campaign would collapse unless the
aOIAb44NtCE ACtCAtCu AudACidi dSblSL-
ance. l finally agreed, in order to
pay the party workers and preserve
the integrity of the party. to furnish
$780, 00. This mace a total of $780,
BOO | gave throughout the campaign.
This was a personal contribution
and did not represent anyone except
/ did not give the money to
try TO elect Parker. | merely wanted
preserve the Democratic organiza-
In reply to questions concerning the
pre-convention campaign of 1912 Mr..
Ryan said he had contributed between
and $4,000 to Governor Har-
mons campaign and more than $780,
300 to Representative Underwood's.