The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-30
PERKINS AND ROOSEVELT.


Colonel Roosevelt's campaign for the
Republican presidential nomination
because George w Perkins of the
Harvester trust, a former partner OF
the house of J. Pierpont Morgan &
Co., and a veritable colonel of high
finance, has been its financial Warwick,
This is one of the few criticisms OF
Mr.. Roosevelt's present political ac-
tivity on which he has been absolutely
silent. Mr.. Perkins kept just as still
until the eve of the Massachusetts pri-
mary. Then he came out with a let
ter in which he attempted to remove
the odium of his financial connection
with the Roosevelt movement by in
sisting that he had been equally lib
eral in helping to finance political
campaigns in which President Taft
has been interested, including the
presidents own campaign of four
years ago. Mr.. Perkins efforts in this
direction are not even adroit. They
are puerile. Instead of showing, as
he intended, that his purse strings had
been equally subject to the demands
of President Taft, he demonstrates, as
a matter of fact that his dough-bag
has always been at the disposal of
Colonel Roosevelt in the furtherance
Of the coloneFs varied political pro-
jects.
Mr.. Perkins declares that he con-
tributed a large sum to the campaign
of Otto T. Barnard for the mayoralty
of New York city. This was in 1903.
He says that Mr.. Taft is a warm per-
sonal friend of Mr.. Bannards. He
leaves it to be inferred that in con-
tributing to Mr.. Bannards campaign
he was helping Bannards political for
tunes because of the latter's intimacy
with Mr.. Taft. This is childish prattle.
Mr. Taft was no more actively con-
cerned in the New York mayoralty
campaign in which Mr.. Barnard was
candidate than he was in the last mu-
nicipal campaign in Topeka
Attention is next called by Mr.. Per
kins to the fact that he also gave
considerable sum Of money to help
finance the New York gubernatorial
campaign of Mr.. Stimson, now
member of Mr.. Taft's cabinet And
he follows this with a statement that
he not only contributed to the Taft
campaign fund of four years ago, but
in addition, he loaned the treasurer of
the Taft campaign $4,000 to meet the
bills that were unpaid when the cam
paign was over, and that this loan has
never been repaid.
Mr. Stimson is a member of Presi-
dent Taft's cabinet at the present time,
it is true But who nominated Mr..
Stimson as the Republican candidate
for the governorship of New York?
Was Mr. Taft the man? Well, hardly.
Mr.. Roosevelt pulled off this political
stunt all by himself. Not only that
but he conducted the Stimson cam
paign and toured New York state from
end to end speaking for his candidate
Now did Mr.. Perkins lend financial aid
to the Stimson campaign as favor to
Mr.. Taft. or as a favor to Colonel
Roosevelt?
And again, Mr.. Perkins contribu-
tions to the Republican presidential
campaign fund of four years ago.
when Mr.. Taft was the candidate, were
to a campaign that was
projected wholly by Colonel Roose- |
Welt The latter dictated the nom1na-
ton of Mr.. Taft as absolutely as he
did that of Mr.. Stimson for the COVER |
of New York two years later. |
Not only that but the then President |
Roosevelt took a most active part in !
the conduct of the Taft campaign. 1t
was a political cause as dear to him as
any in which he has been engaged |
And naturally Perkins was a contrib |
utor to it; not because Mr. Taft was
the Republican presidential candidate, |
but because he was Colonel Roose-
velt's candidate for the presidency.
Surely any child can see these |
things. And Mr.. Perkins explanations |
of his contributions to various po-
litica1 campaigns only shows just how |
Il
to all the campaigns in which Colonel |
Roosevelt has been personally inter
ested. Nor will anybody believe that |
Mr.. Perkins has been acting for him
self alone in his numerous and volumi- |
nous contributions to the political |
projects that Colonel Roosevelt has