The Washington herald., 1912-08-28
Roosevelt-Penrose Mess.

Roosevelt-Penrose mess.
Now that the Senate has passed the
Penrose resolution, the public-if the
inquiry ordered is carried through by
able, fair-minded men, without fear or
favor-may be placed in the possession
of the facts regarding the corporate
contributions to the campaigns of 1904
and 1908
But we cannot help voicing our opin-
ion that, so far as this years Presi-
dental fight is concerned, it was, i'll
advised to drag present and expected
donations also into the scope of the
contemplated probe. That was just a
campaign trick, and as Senator La Fol-
lette pushed the resolution through un-
der threat of a flibuster Intended to
keep Congress in session indefinitely, it
is an easy guess against which candi-
dates the shift was directed.
As far as concerns Senator Penrose's
statements and Mr.. Roosevelt's re-
joinder thus far, there are only two
points in the latter's statements worthy
of consideration. Roosevelt says that
he wrote to Cortelyou, the national
chairman in 1904, saying that in view
of the pronounced opposition of the
Standard Oil Company to the estab-
lishment of Bureau of Corporations,
one of the most important accomplish
nents of his administration, he did not
feel that Standard Oil contributions
should be accepted, &c. As public
record this letter leaves nothing to be
desired in Roosevelt's favor.
But the $4,000 sent to Penrose by
Mr.. Archbold came October I3. and
was part of the $4,000 which, accord
ing to Penrose, Archbold turned over
to the late Cornelius Bliss, then treas
urer of the Republican National Com
mittee. Roosevelt's letter, however,
was not sent until two weeks later,
within which period the money no doubt
had been spent. This being so. it could
not have been returned.
Among the things related last Fri
day before the Clapp Senatorial COM
mittee was the following:
Philander c. Knox entered the execu-
tive Office while the President was die
tating the letter, and called the latter's
attention to the fact that the contribrI-
ton had been made some fifteen days
previously, and that it would be i'm
possible for Mr.. Cortelyou to return the
money, as it undoubtedly already had
been spent. That may be-" President
Roosevelt is declared to have replied,
but this letter will look good in the
record anyway"
1t certainly does! The Hartman case,
by way of elimination, shows a similar
good" record, despite the fact that
all know now that Hartman did not
go to the White House on his own in
itiative, but by Roosevelt's especial in
vitation. The letter simply was sup
pressed
The second point of interest concern
ing Penrose, Quay, and Roosevelt says:
In 1904 Senator Penrose was rot the
Pennsylvania leader, and as far as l
know he was supporting me simply as
all other Republican Senators -Sena-
tors from New York, Ohio, Illinois,
Massachusetts,, and California-wereI
likewise supporting me- In 1904
in Pennsylvania, if my memory is cor
rect, Senator Quay was in charge. My
relations with him were always cordial
and pleasant. He vigorously supported
all the policies l advocated, and as far
as ! know he never asked and never
did anything of any kind, sort, or de-
scription for him that could not be
blazoned in every newspaper through
out the country.
This means that Quay was in charge
during the campaign in the period of
the transactions mentioned by Penrose.
Yet Quay died in May, 1904, almost a
month before Roosevelt was nominated,
and FIVE months before the events
named by Penrose How could Quay
have been "in charger" Besides, PEN
rose then was the boss" in Pennsyl-
vania, a member of the Republican Ma
tional Committee from that State and
chairman of the Republican State COM
nlittee 1t was in those capacities that
he dealt with Archbold.
Quay was-this cannot be gainsaid-l
the corrupt boss of the most corrupt
political gang with which Pennsylvania
has been cursed in the last twenty-five
years Yet Roosevelt says that his re-
lations with Quay were always pleasant
and friendly So were they also pleas
ant and friendly with Penrose until
the latter Jumped the traces" several
months ago.
1t was a sorry day when the $4,000
Penrose story was sprungi House |
cleaning is in orderi