Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-03
As EUROPE SEES
HEARST'S OIL
EXPOSURES
Have Contributed Much To-
ward Cleansing Campaign,
Says Frankturter zeitung.

BERLIN. Sept S.-The Standard, Oil
Enclosures and their effect on the pres
dental campaign in the United States
ave attracting as much attention In
-sruanv as the Panama canal matter
ana the New York police scandal.
The Frankfurter Zeitung, one of Ger
,,anv's most important and influential
newspapers. says;
THE Hearst newspapers in the
United States are evidently making a
snecialty of telling the public all about
the various contributions the Rockefel-
Ter petroleum trust has paid to indi-
yidual politicians and election funds.
In doing this Mr.. Hearst has contribut-
ed much toward the cleansing of the
roitical campaign in his country
"Of course, there can be no objec-
ton if a wealthy congressman chooses
70 give to his political conviction a
strong 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 cont buted $4,000 900 to the fund
~ the progressive wing of the Repub-
Hcan party, there can be not only no
objection to such sourse but there is
room for hope that progressive parties
in other countries NAV find equally
wealthy and liberal constituents. We
say constituents because Ny. Perkin.
has, to our knowledge, represented for
many years the progressive ideas OF
the left wing of the Republican party.
j. is quite natural therefore. if he
again takes up the cause of Mr. Roose-
Wit
Quite Another Matter.
But 1t is anothe~ matter indeed
0neu commercial firms as such and
corporations or trusts give financial
contributions to political parties or 10
their campaign funds, for commercial
firms and corporations have no polit-
!ra pelsuasions. They have political
interests Besides, it used to be uni
versaly customary in America that
big corporations contribute to the
funds of both parties where they were
locally interested or sometimes only the
return. Those were 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-
RanUbliOan %
Nania No one in the Union was very
much surprised, therefore, when Mr.
Hearst gave documentary proof that
Penrose had received $4,000 from the
oil trust in 1904 The excuse of the
exposed boss before the senate was
l'aj the money had been for a presi-
nlai campaign fund. and one of the
J aG,rs of The trust laid that even
i"- time, nat amount had been paid
This seems 10 have happened in
i 60 and it must have been known at
tic time. but it is also known and
Hov,n by documentary evidence that
J1e Standard Oil contribution was re-
turned upon the twice uttered and ex-
picit demand of Roosevelt. This may
'' '"e .tdSoH why the trust no longer
possessed receipted bill for that
*lo0oOO but receipt for that $4,000
signed by Penrose which Mr. Hearst
mus no whitewashing explanation in
t1at fact.
he important thing now is tn.
loltlcal effect of these corruption dis.
closures and the deliberate attempt to
gag Roosevelt into this affair will per
udPS 'ece1ye the support of a portion
OF tne press of New York, but it viii
uot be approved by the public opinion
.. me United States.
All such attempts to discredit this
progressive leader so far have been
Hinentable failures. Even his sharpest
I'!uCaI antagonists, those who were
70 lous and decent men, have always
S'olected Roosevelt in that respect. 1t
raS oeen sufficiently shown that imme-
ridtelN before his reelection in 1904 he
VIZ everything in his power to pre-
vent the direct or indirect payment into
3 party fund of contributions from cor
po'auons and trusts
The Republicans were not in great
noea OF money at that time, for the
election of the president was I'M
Ioupted and the financial condition
THpoSlhg the party was very weak.
ne whole affair VIII rather benefit
roosevelt, for it will surely strengthen
Ne disgust of decent Americans with
'NeIH two old parties"