The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-23
STANDARD OIL MONEY LOOKED GO0D
10 ROOSEVELT IN CAMPAIGN 0F 1914

buttons with any railroad officials
Then your action was limited to
being member Of the Standard OH
Company asked Clapp.
1t was," answered Archbold.
No Apprehension.
I had no conference with anyone
representing Colonel Roosevelt, ex-
cept Mr.. Bliss" continued Mr.. Arch
bold. I'VE told Mr.. Bliss we were on
the republican side and wanted to
help, but we did not want to make a
contribution unless 1t was Thoroughly
understood and thoroughly apprecia-
ted by Mr.. Roosevelt. Mr.. Bliss smil.
ingly said there need be no apprehen-
Sion on that score"
Archbold asserted he might also
nave made a small personal contri-
pution' to the campaign fund.
Perhaps Other Gifts.
i do not know IL Mr.. Rogers or
John d. Rockefeller made any further
contributions" added Archbold. "Mr.
William Rockefeller was cognizant of
this transaction with Mr.. Bliss and
Senator Penrose. told him of it. /
nave no personal knowledge Of any
other contributions. knew of the
talk about the Hartman contribution.
but ! have no personal knowledge of
it."
We're you solicited personally by
Hartman to contributor asked Clapp.
NO cir, was not party to it. |
understood it was to be $250000. |
know of other contributions only by
newspaper reports
Senator Pomerene at this point
took up Archbold's cross-examination.
1 understood it was ex-Secretary
Bliss that first talked with you about
the contributions. he began.
1t was--about week before I gave
the contribution" the oil magnate re-
Piled. "Bliss, Rogers and went over
the campaign. We talked about Mr.
Roosevelt's attitude toward the bust,
ness interests. Mr.. Bliss said he
thought Roosevelt would be fair and
impartial. We talked over party pol
icies and the platform. We thought
Mr.. Roosevelt would take conserva
tive view on the tariff, that it was a
party question first. Mr.. Bliss ex
pressed strong belief that Mr.. Roose.
velt would be fair in his treatment OF
the business interests. Mr.. Bliss
urged that Mr.. Rooseyelt's policies
would conserve the best interests of
business and the country.
Immediately following the inter
view we had conference with direc-
tors Of the Standard Oil Co.-Mr.
Rockefeller, H. M. Tilford Mr.. Rogers
and myself and one or two others.
Mr.. John D. Rockefeller was not there.
We decided our interest, as busi-
ness organization, lay with the repub-
lican side and determined we should
make that contribution. We decided
to give S125,0o0. 1t was understood
that Mr.. Bliss was to be given $500 900
and Mr.. Penrose s25,000 for the Penn
sylvania campaign.
"Our first talk with Bliss was only
about the 100000 After that Pen
rose asked for $25,000. He said he
had hard fight ahead"
WAS this money Standard Oil Com
pany money or individual money!"
II Was Company Money.
ut was company money" Archbold
replied
pomerene pressed Archbold for de-
tails OF his conversation with Bliss.
'I told him. said Archbold, that
we were supposed to make this con-
tribution but l wanted 1t to be known
by the powers that be. I named Mr.
Roosevelt.
Il told him, as was instructed, that
we did not want to make it, if the
money would not be gratefully receiy-
ed. There was talk-only suspicion
that the money might not be accept
able Mr.. Bliss said: I will certainly
L6ll MT. HooSeFcilt you HeeQ uot nave
any apprehension whatever
"Mr. Bliss assurances were salts
factory. He said he would undertake
himself to make it thoroughly known
to Roosevelt. That was at our second
conference.
ut was at another later meeting, I
recollect, that I gave the money to
him. 1t was not written subscrip-
tIon, just an oral agreement. 1t was
merely matter of convenience in Civ
ing the money in currency. There was
nothing to conceal about it,
"But not having given your check
there would be no record?' asked
Pomerene.
mo, there was no desire for pub
licity."
Later" continued Archbold, bliss
came to me for more money. He said
he wanted more help. / told him that
I thought our people had given all
they cared to. That was about three
weeks later early in October"
"At that time who was 1t told you
that Mr.. Roosevelt had agreed to ac-