Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-03


Cortelyou over the telephone, as I did
myself later
No Promises Made, Said Cortelyou.
In my letters to Mr.. Cortelyou dur
ing the campaign the only alluson that
l can find to campaign contributions is
in one in which | tell him that | have
heard rumor that Senator Dick, of
Ohio. has been collecting money from
Office holders, and that If so, he must
be warned to stop or he will get into
trouble
Il communicated with Mr.. Bliss very
frequently. and never made any allu-
sion to contributions in any letter that
| wrote HIM or any conversation | had
with him. From NJ. Bliss. as from Mr.
CortelyOu, | received the explicit state
ment that no promise had been made
and no obligation entered into, directly
or indirectly. in connection with any
contribution that had been received, or
would be entered into in connection
with any contribution that might be re-
ceived in the future
Il have never discussed the question
of contributions with M. Perkins, save
in connection with discussing the accu-
sations brought before your commit-
tee. l have never. directly or Indirect
ly, asked him for a contribution, and
did not, so far as | can remember. ask
any human being for a contribution
either while l was running for presi.
dent or for vice president or during
the recent primary, or since the recent
primary.
Mr.. Archbold has alluded to his visit
made year or so after the election to
me in company with Mr.. Rogers. Mr..
Rogers and Mr. Archbold made an an
pointment to see me through Mr.. Root,
who was then in my cabinet. He was
not present at the interview The sub
ject of campaign contributions was not
alluded to.
'Messrs. Archbold and Rogers, the
former doing almost all the talking.
| stated that they had come down in
connection with the accusations made
against the Standard Oil Company re-
garding rebates. | informed them that
Mr. Garfield had informed me that he
was about to report very strongly
against the Standard Oil Company on
this matter and ! referred him to Mr.
Garfield. suggesting that they see him
or Mr.. Fl. X. Smith, and go over the
matter with them before coming to me-
Wondered at sibley's Activity.
Mr. SibleY then a congressman from
Pennsylvania. called upon me once or
twice to speak on behalf of the Stand
ard Oil people, and urged upon me that
they were very good men and that their
accusers were unworthy and misguided
creatures; but he did not make any
specific request about them g far as l
remember nor arrange an interview
with them. The only reason I remem-
Der anything about what he said was
because, as he had been a Populist and
as l had supposed that he was anti
corporation in his feeling, l was little
surprised at his turning up on behalf
of the Standard Oil.
"A couple of years later, when the
department Of justice was taking the
preliminary steps for bringing suit to
dissolve the Standard Oil Company,
Senator Jonathan Bourne, on three or
four occasions, brought Mr.. Archbold
Bourne were written by me after the
first ana the last of these interviews,
and explain themselves.
These letters were in part as fol-
lows
Sagamofe Hill, February %, 1908
My Dear Senator: AS to what you told
me the other evening about the Stand
ard Oil people; do remember that while
any proposals they make will be con-
sidered IN an entirely frank and hon
orable spirit, yet these proposals must
be conditioned upon absolute obedience
to the law and must be laid in detail
before the attorney general and FRANK
B. Kellogg before it would be possible
for me to express any opinion upon
them. know you understand this, but
want you TO be sure that the Stand
and do not get the impression that it
is by my desire or on my initiative that
negotiations have been entered into
with them by you or by any one. Sim
cerely yours, Theodore Roosevelt
"'Oyster Bay, II. Y, July 3, 1s0S.-My
Dear Senator: In my judgment, it is
not only a waste of time, but inadvisa-
Bile, TO try to carry off the negotiations
through you as intermediary. Let the
STANDARD Oil lawyers, any or all Of
them. as Mr.. Archbold or Mr.. Rookie
Teller or any one else may choose, de-
eide a to the course they wish to fol-
low. and then communicate direct with
MIR. Kellogg, or the attorney general
Sincerely yours, Theodore Roosevelt
Hearst Rendering Great Public Service.
Mr. Hearst has published much in
teresting and important correspond
ence of the Standard Oil people, espe-
cially Mr.. Archbold with various pub
lie men. I have in time past criticised
Mr. Hearst, but in this matter he has
rendered a public service of high i'm
portance; and | hope he will publish
all the letters dealing with this mat
ter which he has in his possession II
Mr. Hearst or anVbOdV else has any