The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1924-02-15
THE TEMPEST IN TEA POT DOME


Washington, Feb. 11.-(Special Cor |
respondence.-Chair Cordell Hull |
Of the Democratic National Commit |
tee, who has attempted to place all
blame for oil land scandals on the
Republican administration. is i'm
pressivefy silent regarding Democratic
participation in those transactions
as silent as he was during the notori-
Gus squandering of public funds in
the Wilson administration. How
about the aiTplane swindle, the Ship
ping Board orgy and the cost-plus con-
spiracy? More iu-gotten gains were
garnered in any one Of those that were
squandered on John Law and his Mis-
sissippi Bubble. And these were but
three of great number of gigantic
frauds on the taxpayers OF the United
States which caused the entire coun-
try to hang its head in shame. Did
the Democratic party, then in power,
bring any OF these evi[doeTs TO book?
Not one. But the Department of Jus
| tice, under he Republican administra-
] llOus sdNtu Tue tdSuIS SoDsVOUItub
out OF $SS, 900, 900 OF contested claims
arising out of contracts with the
Democratic administration, recovered
SO, 100000 wrongfully disbursed by
Democratic officials and obtained
Judgment for 1925, 5000 more. Grand
juries found q5 criminal indictments
in competition with Democratic con-
tracts. Suits are pending for 1892
200 900 more, with recovery hampered
/ by the loss" of evidence.
| What are the facts RESPECTING the
Teapot Dome and California oil re-
serve leases? Former Secretary Of the
l Interior Fall received loans from two
oil magnates who thereafter leased
| from Mr. Fall the two oil reserves
/ One of these magnates, Mr.. Doheny.
was the chairman Of the Democratic
/ delegation from California to the last
Democratic convention. and a liberal
subscriber TO Democratic campaign
funds Four-fifths OF the loans came
from him year prior to the issuance
OF his lease. Doheny had known Fall
all his life. They had grown up to-
gether. practiced law together. and To-
gether had undergone hardships and
privations in early life in the South
west Mr.. Doheny declares the loan
was to aid a lifelong friend in the
hour Of his necessity. The Democrats
declare 1t was corruption money de
signed to influence Fan in signing the
/ California lease. Even If this be true,
which is matter of controversy, the
! Eiver and the receiver of the bride
are equally guilty, and there is not a
! shred OF evidence that public monies
We're used for fraudulent purposes or
that the taxpayers lost a penny by the
transactions The Democratic orgy
during the Wilson administration
cost the taxpayers hundreds of mil
| lions
The Democrats further charge that
| because of the loan the leases make
for evil policy and ought TO be cancel
| ed. One zealot asserts the public has
of oil because OF the leases. Nothing
OF the sort has been proved. On the
contrary. the preponderanoe OF test
mony is to the effect that the leases
were eminently sound from the public
standpoint that the delay in making
them resulted in the loss OF millions
OF barrels Of oil by drainage into ad-
jacent private fields. The question OF
policy remains to be passed upon by
a commission OF experts.
| Grafters know no partianship. II
there has been graft in this instance,
the public may rest assured that the
| Republican administration will in
tensify its record for Furnishing the
wicked The Democrats punished no
body. Mr. Coolidge has evinced his
determination to permit nothing that
is partisan TO stand in the way OF
| eNacting Justice. But Mr. Hull was
sinGularly quiet when tht taxpayers
were being robbed under the Admin
istration OF his party, and no taxpayer
has suffered from the oil lease bust
ness To root in the muck for parti-
san purposes when the affair concerns
the entire nation displays the desper-
alton OF Hull and his confederates for
an issue. To attempt 10 implicate
| President Coolidge is too reprphens-