The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-24
Does Not Believe Archbold


 ation.
 Does Not Believe Archbold
 'T do rot for one moment believe to Mir Archbold as MT Archbold says. For example Mir &rchbold states that he and the late H. H. Rogers visited me at the White House and that I then remarked to them that there had been some criticisms about campaign contributions. This is a falsehood. Neither on that occasion nor on any other occa sion was one word said eith CT by me to MT Archbold or by MT. Archbold to me about campaign con tributions.
 MT. Rogers and Mir. Archbold called on that occasion to protest against any government action being taken against the Standard oil company. This was one of a number of calls which MT. Archbold made on me to try to pre- vent action against the Standard Oil company by the bureau of corporations under the department of the interior and by the department of justice. If Mir Archhold had really believed that MT. Bliss had told him that l knew of any contribution by Standard Oil or had felt that he was jeopardized by having refused to make a contri- button or was entitled to immunity for having made one, he would cer- tainly in one of those calls have said as much. He never preached the sub-' ject
 He merely said. over and over again, that MT. Garfield and MT. H. K. Smith were treating him unfairly, and he denied, again and again, that the Standard oil company ever got any rebates or ever did anything that was not absolutely proper. And he would keep on with these denials, even when l would tell him that had in my possession reports from the bureau of corporations and the Secretary of the Interior which conclusively showed that the Standard oil company had been taking rebates on the largest pos- sible scale
 "Inasmuch as Mir Archbold does not tell the truth in regard to his inter- view with me, I have no doubt that he does not tell the truth about the man who is dead and who. living, he never dared to accuse as he now ac- cuses him.
 Bliss Was Silent
 MT. Bliss never spoke to me about ask ing or receiving a contribution from any one, and he never before or after the election said anything to me about my conduct toward corporations except to say that he knew l would act fairly and justly toward all; and I told him that | should never dream of acting any other way. Neither Mir Bliss or anyone else ever suggested or hnted at in any shape or way the idea that I should take or refrain from taking any action in conrec- ton with any corporation because of any contribution whatsoever,
 Specifically, he never said one word to me about any contributions from the Standard OH company and never said one word to me about proceeding or not pro- ceeding against the Standard on corpora ton. l saw Mr. Archbold again and again while the department of justice was con- templating proceeding against him tal- ways at MT. Archbold's request. of course), listened to all he had to say and heard him repeat the same statements over and over again when l was entirely convinced that they were false and direct ed the Attorney General to proceed only when 1t had become evident that Mir. Archbold had nothing to tell me which would give any warrant for directing the Attorney General not to act.
 During all that time, neither MT. Arch bold nor anyone else ever hinted to me that the Standard oil people had contrib uted or that there was any expectation by any human being that I should show favor to the Standard oil company.
 Had Fight Before 1904.
 Moreover, let it be remembered that lcng before the campaign of 1904 I had had a sharp run in with the Standard oil people and had shown them just what they could expect from me. This vas when we were passing the bureau of corporations act I found out that the Standard oil people were opposing the passage of the act; that two of their representatives had come down to Wash ington to oppose it. and that they had sent telegrarrs to various senators and representatives against 1t. I got hold of these telegrams. published some of then, and forced the bill through.
 MT. Archbold shows his animus in his rather ludicrous complaint that darkest Africa never saw anything like the persecution of the Standard Oil cor Eroration by the Roosevelt adnlinistra- ton and he proceeds. unwittingly to ray Messrs. Garfield and Smith the high est praise by his bitterness to them for their action. do. not wonder that he fe els bitterly.s The action in question disclosed all kinds of improper practices on the part of the Standard Ou com