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New Standard Oil Letters and Their Lessons
More Letters From and to
Archbold, of the Standard Oil
Trust, Further Showing How
Legislation Can Be Bought.
Whenever revelat ions
aome to the public, showing
how legislators sell their
trusts for cash, they are
eagerly read.
The amazing betrayal of
the people by U. S'. senators
and minor officials, elected
to serve the people, as set
forth in black and white by
the publication of the Stand
ard Oil letters, has awaken
ed the nation to a corrup
tion never before proved.
In HEARST’S MAG-A
ZINE for June new and
startling letters show the
methods of the Oil Trust in
buying legislators and legis
latures. They continue the
astounding story told in the
May number.
The following are a few
excerpts from the wealth of
material in the JUNE
NUMBER.
It is difficult to believe that the
man who was “holding the bag”
into which corporations like the
Standard Oil Company were drop
ping certificates of deposits for
the purpose of controlling legisla
tures ami courts and American
politics generally, should have
been seriously considered as a can
didate for president of the United
States. Such was the fact, how
ever, after Hanna’s boughten vic
tory in Ohio in 1903. The condi
tion of Hanna’s health was in all
probability the one thing that kept
him from permitting his name to
be used.
Nathan B. Scott, of West Vir
ginia, another Standard Oil sena
tor. had. before the tragedy that
placed Roosevelt in the white
house, announced himself for
Hanna as the next candidate of
the Republican party.
The possibility of nominating
Hanna was discussed favorably
with Archbold by several of the
Oil Trust’s paid politicians, and
there was a strong sentiment for
him among the Wall Street oppo
nents of progressive politics.
After Hanna’s death, Gunton's
Magazine, which was subsidized
by the Oil Trust, said of him:
In the death of Senator Hanna
the nation has lost one of its fore
most statesmen, the Republican
party has lost its greatest leader
and the labor movement has lost a
powerful friend and co-operator. ’ ’
Now that some of Hanna's let
ters to Archbold have been made
public, posterity will be able to
judge for itself as to whether or
not Hanna was a “money-bag”
politician. Posterity may also he
able to guess with considerable
accuracy whether Hanna’s elec
tion "by the largest majority ever
given to a United States senator
in the Republican state, of Ohio”
was due to a change in popular
sentiment, or whether it was due
to change distributed recklessly
from the corporation money-bag
which Hanna held.
Corruption Money
From Criminal Trusts.
The Standard Oil letters make
it fairly clear that the corruption
money for use in this and similar
debauched elections came from
criminal corporations, but it came
into the bags held by political
bosses and public officials who
represented the criminal corpora
tions. It was then distributed to
debauch the electorate and the
legislature.
There can be no doubt that it
was distributed with the full
knowledge and direction of the
political bosses and the public of
als who were at the same time
i! political ami financial agents
of 1 he 1 rusts.
The point of dominant import
in these articles, however, is
not the character of Senator Han
oi. it is not the specific action of
senator; it is the obvious fact
<>l an evil and successful effort of
the trusts to control the govern-
/ '— —--- - . - - 1 '
-5-ertate. tX* —-tf-/ 5 * ZUIY'
- s''''
'
UNITED STATES SENATE
Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1903.
My Dear John:
I am in receipt of yours of the 15th inst.. and reply that I can not go East, as I can not leave this situation for a day.
I know you will do the fair thing, and I want the State Republican Committee to get a liberal subscription from you this time. Although the fight is all
directed against me, I don’t want them to think I am selfish in taking subscriptions from my friends to use in the legislative fight, nor do I feel like bear
ing the whole burden, as there is more than ME interested in the result. There is no haste about it. only we must cut our garments to our cloth.
Sincerely yours, M. A. HANNA.
(Personal)
P. S— You people can be of great help in Allen county. Hancock and Wood counties, which, if successful, will secure the election of THREE members.
This whole fight is against corporations and me as their champion. . M. A. H.
ment. In order to prove that con
trol, it became necessary to pub
lish these letters of Senator Hanna
and Foraker and of Archbold.
There are other letters in this Oil
Trust correspondence with other
senators to show how widespread
was the conspiracy against popu
lar government.
We shall now see that the trusts’
paternal interest in Ohio polities
extended also to Ohio’s represen
tation in the lower house of con
gress. Note this letter to General
Grosvenor:
26 Broadway, New York,
October 12, 1900.
My Dear General:
I have your favor of the 10th,
and it gives me pleasure to en
close you herewith certificate of
deposit in your favor for SI,OOO
to aid the good work, and with
very best wishes, I am,
Very truly yours,
Jno. D. Archbold.
Hon. C. H. Grosvenor,
Athens, Ohio.
John Deacon Archbold, it will
be noticed, is always aiding in
some “good work.” Is it not sin
gular that “work” so “good”
should require the secrecy of the
certificate of deposit ?
Obviously, General Grosvenor
was another member of the Oil
Trust herd.
The Strange Argument
Os General Grosvenor.
He served the Oil Trust in the
house of congress, and openly
acted and argued to their advan
tage. In an article in The Inde
pendent, entitled “Concentration
of Wealth a Safety to the State,”
General Grosvenor advanced the
peculiar argument that while a
wide distribution of wealth was
desirable, that distribution was
attained profitably if the few who
owned the wealth were sufficient
ly scattered over the country.
Says General Grosvenor:
“A great manufacturing cor
poration Avith branches through
out the states of the Union and
widely distributed, is as complete |
and perfect a distribution of
wealth as would be the distribu
tion of the money value of the
stock of the corporation in the
hands of the persons interested in
its promotion.”
Alter his election to the house
of representatives in the fall of
(FROM HEARST’S MAGAZINE FOR JUNE)
‘WE MUST CUT OUR GARMENTS TO OUR CLOTH.” VZROTE HANNA TO HIS FRIEND ARCHBOLD, OF THE OIL TRUST
1900. General Grosvenor wrote a
letter of thanks to the political
manager of the Standard Oil Com
pany and received the following
acknowledgment.
26 Broadway, New York,
November 20, 1900.
Hon. C. H Grosvenor,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C.
My Dear Sir:
I have, your favor of yesterday
and beg to thank you very cor
dially for your kind expression.
I fuily agree that the retirement
of the gentleman is a matter of
very special congratulation.
I wish again to congratulate
you on your own magnificent run.
Very truly yours,
Jno. D. Archbold.
•John Deacon Archbold having
contributed to the “good work”
of electing a friend of the Oil
Trust and retiring a representa
tive of the people, finds matter
for “very special congratulations
in the result.”
Result: A Job For
The General's Friend.
The Standard Oil Trust not only
helped to take care of General
Grosvenor, but helped to lake care
of General Grosvenor's friends,
and, in fact, placed General Gros
venor under as many obligations
as possible to insure General
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN .AND NEWS. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1912.
Other articles of compelling interest in Hearst’s Maga
zine for June, which is now on sale at the news stands,
include: “Modern Ships Unsafe?” by Charles P. Brewer;
“How to Insure Safety at Sea,” by J. Bernard Walker;
“How Shall We Solve the Divorce Problem?” a sympo
sium; including President Taft, Bishop Doane, Winston
Churchill, Hall Caine, Frederick Townsend Martin, Prof.
E. A. Ross, Thomas Hardy and others; “Shuster’s Own
Story,” by W. Morgan Shuster; “America Is One Big
Cash Register,” by Harry Furniss; “The inside of the
Cup,” by Winston Churchill; “The Story of George
Helm,” by David Graham Phillips;” “Captain Kidd in
Wall Street,” by George Randolph Chester, the creator
of “Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford,” and reviews of art,
books and science by the best writers.
Grosvenor’s aid in all “good
work” which affected the trust
and in nobly maintaining the
"credit of the nation" for the
special advantage of the trust.
October 3, 1901.
My Dear General:
Referring again to your favor
of.September 6th, regarding Mr.
Bond, of Columbus. I had been
delayed in answering awaiting
I some report on the matter. I re-
I gret to say that I do not now have
anything definite as to promise of
employment for him in the locali
ties named, but if he will decide
on a locality which he would pre
fer, we will send him out and put
him on the roll. I am sure that
work will be found for him with
in a very short time, if not imme
diately. If you will, therefore, let
me know what your wish is in the
matter, I will endeavor to meet it
as nearly as possible.
Very truly yours,
Jno. D. Archbold.
Hon. C. H. Grosvenor,
Athens, Ohio.
Although there was no work
for Mr. Bond just then, he would
be sent out ami “put on the roll.”
Any one who could be made use
ful to the Standard Oil Company
•was put on the roll." whether
their usefulness lay in a business
way or a polilwal w;r.
Having published the letter
from Archbold to Grosvenor, we
will now publish a letter from
Grosvenor to Archbold. The letter
is .written on the paper of the
"('omniiltee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries, House of Repre
sentatives. U. 5.," but is sent from
Athens, Ohio.
The reader will note that eon
i gressmen, as w r ell as senators, in
I writing to the trust for favors,
I prefer to write upon official pa
. per. thus delicately calling Io the
'attention of the trusts the oppor-
Itunity these officials have for re
turn favors through their respon
sible positions in the national gov
: eminent.
A Delicate Hint
For a Contribution.
General Grosvenors subtlety
and delicacy is shown not only in
• his use of the official paper of his
| committee; but. in bis graceful
; one might almost, say elegant -re
i quest for a contribution.
COMMITTEE ON THE MER
CHANT MARINE AND
FISHERIES,
House of Representatives, U. S.
Charles H. Grosvenor, Chairman.
Athens, 0., Sept. 27, 1904.
John D. Archbold, Esq.,
New York City, N. Y
My Dear Sir:
j I have had some correspondence
with our mutual friend Sibley,
which you will understand, and
he has suggested that I go in per
son to see you. It is exceedingly
difficult for me to get away from
here by reason of my local cam
paign, but if you think it neces
sary I will come to New York,
but if I do, could I see you on Sun
day, the 9th of October? I must
make a hurried dash to New York
and back, and I would like very
much to meet you, if it is possible,
at your residence on the morning
of Sunday.
Could you meet the emergen
cies just as well without my com
ing to New York? I think you
will understand it, as you know I
have come to you for friends,
but never for myself, and now
there is a great necessity at home.
I am not complaining of the gen
eral tendency of my campaign, but
it is most burdensome, and one
that requires the utmost care and
the utmost ability to meet great
emergencies. There are 10,000
coal miners in this district, and
there are seven counties, stretch
ing from the Ohio river on the
south to within twelve miles of
Columbus on the north, and cover
ing about 45 per cent of the coal
output of Ohio. You can see
something of what I have got on
my hands, with a state committee
unable to assist anybody and a
fight all myself alone practically.
Now, if it is best for me to come
to New York, please say you will
see me as suggested.
Yours truly,
C. H. Grosvenor.
The character of General Gros
venor's request might not be fully
understood by a reader of pecu
liar innocence and ignorance of
political affairs, by a reader who
had not read the Hanna and For
aker letters.
Think how much more the
Standard Oil Company paid its
senators and its congressmen
than the poor deceived public
paid the men whom it thought to
be its senators and congressmen.
And observe how much better
those senators and congress men
served the Standard Oil than they
served the public.
General Grosvenor mentions his
correspondence "with our mutual
friend Sibley which.” Grosvenor
says to Archbold, "yon will un
derstand." Sibley, continues Gros-
PAGE S—MAGAZINE SECTION
Few Illuminating Facts in Writ
ing on General Grosvenor and
Others Illustrative of the Cor
rupt Methods of the Oil Ring.
venor. “has suggested that 1 go
in person to see you.” Archbold
could very well “understand” this
correspondence and this sugges
tion, for Sibley has been described
by Mr. Hearst as “a wretched lit
tle political spy introduced into
congress by the Standard Oil
Company to report to them on all
legislation in which they had an
interest. ’ ’
Joseph C. Sibley, congressman
from Pennsylvania, was a sort, of
trained elephant for the Standard
Oil. He was always on the look
out for other congressmen and
senators who could be captured.
He reported such facts promptly
to hunter Archbold, and then took
the assignment to decoy the public
officials into the Standard Oil
stockade at No. 26 Broadway.
Read the following letter from
Archbold to Sibley:
26 Broadway, New York,
January 13, 1902.
Dear Mr. Sibley:
I am duly in receipt of your
favor of the 10th, in all of which
we are much interested. We ap
preciate your courtesy in bring
ing any such matter to our atten
tion, and value, beyond expres
sion, your kind and friendly atti
tude.
With reference to our Ohio
friend, our feelings are most cor
dial, and we will be glad to lend
? hand in a reasonable way. HOW
WOULD IT DO FOR YOU TO
SAY TO HIM THAT I SUG
GESTED THAT HE SEE ME
FOR A LITTLE TALK? If this
proves impossible within the nec
essary time, he can write me under
personal cover and I will answer
him promptly and confidentially.
I can not learn that we or any of
our people have taken any active
interest in the New Jersey sena
torship matter. What you said to
Mr. G. met the case thoroughly
and we thank you cordially for it.
Os course, I am much interested
as to who your dark horse may be,
and if you are in a position to in
timate to me, in confidence, who it
is, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR
US TO EXTEND SOME AID.
Heartily reciprocating your
kind wishes for the New Year, I
am, Yours very truly,
Jno. D. Archbold.
Hoi; J. C. Sibley,
Wk’H-igton, D. C.
No Doubt the Elephant
Received Its Reward.
What a close and friendly re
lationship between the hunter and
his pet elephant. How hunter
Archbold pats his pet elephant on
his scaly back and appreciates his
“kind and friendly attitude.”
How hunter Archbold smoothes
the thick skin of his pet elephant
and thanks him for his “courtesy
in bringing any such matter to
our attention. ”
Undoubtedly the elephant re
ceived its reward in a more sub
stantial way, too, for betraying its
own kind and delivering them to
the hunter. Whether the hunter
felt, a secret contempt for so
traitorous an elephant or not, he
nevertheless could not but “value
beyond expression "the elephant's
“kind and friendly attitude.”
Always anxious to invest the
Standard Oil’s money profitably
in public officials was John I).
Archbold, purchasing agent of the
trust, never failing to get good re
turns on his investment in the way
of public favors and special privi
leges, running the government at
Washington from the Standard
Oil headquarters at No. 26 Broad
way, reaching out for senators
and congressmen, for Democrats
and Republicans alike, through
his paid political agents, killing
laws that the trusts objected to,
promoting measures that would
be of benefit to the trust, reward
ing all faithful public officials
with secret certificates of deposit.
A busv man was John I). Arch
bold.
When we have a John D. Arch
bold and legislatures and con
gress subsidized by John D. Arch
bold. what is the use of state and
national governments maintained
by the people? What is the ne
cessity of the citizens paying pub
lic officials?