Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-24
REPLY TO ARCHB0LD
.
Col, Roosevelt Accuses Him of
UntruthfulneSS.
DEFENDS BLISS MEMORY
Declares That Attack on Dead Man
Is Malicious.
STATEMENT OF MR.. GARFIELD
Says Standard Oil Suit Was Plan
ned Before the Fall
of 1904.
OF MR.. GARFIELD

OYSTER BAY, y. Y. August 24.-Col.
Roosevelt al Sycamore Hill last night
dictated statement in reply to the testi
mony of John ID. Archbold before the
Senate investigating committee.
The statement. in part, is as follows:
II wish to call attention to the fact
that even if Mr.. Archbold's statements
arc true they amount only to saying so
far as i am concerned that Mr.. Bliss
told him that l had knowledge and APP
proved a request for 100000 from the
Standard Oil Company. which was grant
ed. and further request for $4,000.
which was not granted This is a pure
hearsay statement. and even if made in
good faith would be utterly vaIueless.
mot only did I never know anything
OK such request being made. but my
published letters and telegram showing
that when the rumor that there had been
4. contribution reached me ] acted at
once. reiterating my demand again and
again that the money should be immedi-
atey returned. If 1t had been given. ana
being assured by Mr. Cortclyou that the
money had not been received and would
not be received
Thinks Testimony False.
- but l. DO not TOT one moment peiIeNe
that Mr.. Archbold's testimony is truth
full. He apparently possesses such
moral stand that he does not understand
tie infamous accusation he is making
against Mr.. Bliss. Mr. Bliss is now dead.
Hut during the seven years that elapsed
bafore Mr.. Bliss death after Mr.. Arch
bold claims he made the contribution in
Question Mr.. Archbold never brought up
asy statement of this kind.
''Ife now says that Mr.. Bliss warned
him that he was making serious mis-
take I'm not contributing the extra amount
vi money. and that later on. when the
administration began to deal with the
Standard Oil people, MIR. Bliss said 1t
would have been different if they had
done as he asked them.
This is an assertion that Mr.. Bliss was
deliberately trying to blackmail the
Standard Oil into contributing.
Calls It Wicked Assault.
This is a wicked assault on a dead
man. whose high standing and probty
Was such that no human being who was
himself honest would ever impute evil
motives to him. Mr.. Bliss was incapable
or conduct such as Mr.. Archbold imputes
10 him. And / cannot too strongly de-
nounce the baseness of making such an
attack upon an honorable man who is
ventured to assail while living.
II do not for one moment believe that
MIR. Bliss made any such remarks to Mr..
lsrchbold as Mr.. Archbold says For
example. Mr.. Archbold states that he
and the late Fl. II. Rogers visited me
az the White House. and that l then
remarked to them that there had been
some criticism about campaign contribu
lions. This is a falsehood.
.;Nefther on that occasion or on any
other occasion was one word said either
by me to Mr.. Archbold or by Mr.. Arch
bold TO me about campaign contributions.
He merely said. over and over again.
that Mr.. Garfield and Mr.. II. X. Smith
were treating him unfairly. and he de-
MED, again and again. that the Standard
OIL ever got any rebates or ever did any
thing that was not absolutely proper.
And he would keep on with these denials,
oven when i would tell him that l had
in my possession reports from the bureau
OF corporations and the Secretary of the
Interior which conclusively showed that
the STANDARD Oil had been taking rebates
on the largest possible scale
'InaSmuch Mr.. Archbold did not tell
the truth in his interviews with me, /
lave no doubt that he does not tell the
truth about the man who is dead"
Statement of Garfield.
CLEVELAND. Ohio. August o4.-All
plans for the prosecution OF the Standard
y. Garfield, as head OF the bureau of cor
porations. before the fall of 1904, when,
JOHN ID. -Archbold stated yesterday before
The Senate committee at Washington
the company made 4 contribution OF
100000 10 the Roosevelt campaign fund.
This statement was made last night by
Mr.. Garfield, who referring to his diary
found letter of November 4. 1904 in
which Mr.. Roosevelt denied tat such
gifts had been sought.
y deliberate and unqualified false
hood was the way Garfield characters
lied the evidence given by Mr. Archbold
N so far as IL dealt with the prosecu-
ton.
Instead % opening the books Of the
standard Oil Company to the bureau.
-Archboid and the late H. H. hogers Of
.ered the bureau statements that proved
untrue. The facts developed by the bu-
leau were proved III court
vs. 70 RooSevelt's having inspired the
prosecution. Garfield said he himself had
Initiated IL, and later had taken the mat
Ter Up with the President in a general
way.
The Roosevelt letter quoted by Garfield
was written 10 Judge Alton b. Parker
Who had accused Roosevelt and George
u. Cortciyou OF clubbing corporations Tor
contributions.
Attack by Van Valkenburg.