Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-02-20
.S|BLEY SAYS He
HELPED SENATOR
Never Gave Bailey Dollar but
Advice Melted Texas States
man 100000.

vigor that he ever gave a dollar TO SEN
ator Bailey of Texas, or that he hhahceu
the senator's land operations In the |
South, former Congressman Joseph - |
Sibley testified, almost naivey, yesterday
| that he had given advice to Bailey which
| enabled the statesman" to make SAO,Vo.
The testimony OF the ex-congresafnah
| was taken by Commissioner r j. MCNEIL
| representing the Clapp Investigating com
| mlttee Of the United States Senate. SID
| ley, who has been referred to as the
Standard Oil company's little pollucal
| spy in Congress, gave his testimony IN
his home In this city with a physician in
| attendance at the time
The questioning of Sibley was the re-
! suit of the revelations made by william
| Randolph Hearst in publishing the IA
nous "Archbold letters" The testimony
demanded of Slbley concerned mainly the
statements in those letters
SIBLEY JUSTIFIES HIS ACTIONS.
The purpose of the commissioners
visit here was to have Sibley identify
Photographic copies of the letters and
to answer few questions about cam
paign contributions, but the former
| congressman took advantage of the
with Senator Joseph Bailey and to
seek to Justify his actions while in
public life.
Several times he ceased talking only
when the commissioner broke in with
new exhibits. Sbley said that he had
never expressed a view in a letter that
he wouldn't have been willing to ex-
press from his seat In the House. He
cr11iIe6 10 hest IF
tives, he said.
when 7 go before the great Judge"
he said, 81 shall have plenty Of things
to answer for, but never for my pub
lie acts which always reflected my best
efforts. I always acted unselfshly and
with sole regard to my constituency
and to my country"
The former congressman seemed even
stronger at the end than at the beglnning.
The commissioner asked no original ques-
lions, but only such as had been framed
by the committee.
ALWAYS CAMPAIGN CONTRlBC-
n TOR.
| Sibey explained that he had been eth d
president chairman of the board o,
directors of subsidiary companies of tn.
Standa I'd Oil company from 1879 until 1910
when he retired.
Asked If he had made contributions t.
the campaigns of 1901, 1908 and 1912, Sib
ley said that as long as he was in Wash
ngton he usually made the first contr
button to the congressional committee
which was usually spent in purchasing
stationery and getting an organization
He never contributed on behalf of tn,
Standard Oil company. He said he us
ually made personal contributions in hi!
home county.
In the Hearst letters in which reference
is made to Senator b. Sibey was no
asked to whom he referred, and he die
not volunteer to give the senator's name
Later, however, he referred to Senate
Bailey in connection with the same Incl
dents mentioned in the Senator B." let
ters.
Referring to his activity against TIL
Senate resolution which made pipe line
common carriers, Sbley explained that /
was also proposed to prohibit the owne
of pipe line to transport his ow,
products from the field to the refinery.
The Standard OIL company at that TIM
had 95OOo00O barrels of oil in the field
and if the resolution became a law anc
the company sought to move its oil from
tHe lelu, IL WOulu De guilty OF a CT1mlna
action.
FEARED PARALYSIS OF BUSINESS.
Sibley said that this would have re
suited ultimately In the complete shut
down and paralysis of business In I'll
oil regions, because the producers couldn'
find a market for their oil.
II received from 400 to 600 letters from
producers to do all 7 could against tn
resolution said Sibley. Letters cam
to me from other common wealths Bot
the Standard Oil company and the In
dependent refners were opposed. In m
activities In the Senate l represented m
constituency because the oil business wa
the principal one from my district.
II was representing not only tn
Standard oil company. but every pro
Queer of petroleum, and my constit
uents urged me on to those activities
The Standard oil company had 500,
600. 600 and upwards invested In m,
district, while the total other invest
} ments in oil properties would run VI
into the billions In my action I wa
prompted to prevent that which,
carried out would ruin the creates
sources Of wealth In this nation
II saw Senator B.. who took tn
opposite position from me. and W
talked frankly about the matter.
never took Senator B. to New York
and ! want to say now that 7 neve
made suggestion to a member o
Congress that might not with equa
, propriety have been made by me fror
my seat in the House
TALKED TO 20 OR 30 SENATORS.
II discussed freely the pending meas
ure with 20 or 80 senators, who's
friendship l justly claimed and l wis
the committee would call them all
testify as to my relations with then
} merely explained to them what IN
} general effect of this law would be-
D Sibley explained that there was lac
, of comprehension on the part of man
, people who were in favor of the propose
) law, among them being Secretary Gar
field.
, Speaking again TO the reference In on
, of his letters to the proposed visit c
n Senator b, to New York he said:
, Senator b., in discussing the matte
, with me, asked me questions about pip
n lines that | was unable to answer DC
n cause was not familiar with that Dranc
: OF the business as | am with the manu-
, featuring end, ! told him that II ne wa
e in New York any time soon | should al
n range to have him see persons VINO coul
ll sala