Senator Foraker and Standard Oil

The Planet discovers that Senator Foraker received money from Mr. John D. Archbold of the Standard Oil Company for the “purpose of influencing legislation.”

We have read with care all of the letters given to the public by Hon. William Randolph Hearst. They show that Senator J. B. Foraker received money from Mr. John D. Archbold of the Standard Oil Company eight years ago, when he was advisory counsel for that corporation in Ohio. The inference drawn by Mr. Hearst and the impression conveyed to the public is that this money was paid Senator Foraker for the purpose of influencing legislation, all of which the able Senator denies. To our mind, the question is whether the action of Senator Foraker, in practicing his profession in a legitimate way with the Standard Oil Company as his clients was lawful or unlawful. He asserts that he has not had any connection with the company since and all relationship of even a legal character has been severed and that relative to all matters concerning legislation, he has acted in his own right. We have always understood that Senator Foraker was one of the ablest constitutional lawyers in the country. To say this is virtually to say that he is a corporation lawyer. For only the corporations are able to employ men of this calibre at salaries commensurate with their great ability and literary attainments. But it seems that Senator Foraker foregoes his source of income and gave all of his time and all of his ability to the service of the people of Ohio and the country and now instead of commending him for it, he is made the target for enemies of the Hearst stripe. There is no allegation or even hint that he is now in the employ of the Standard Oil Company. Senator Foraker has made no denial of his connection with the affair and his statements are borne out by Mr. John D. Archbold, whose correspondence has caused such a commotion in the political atmosphere of the country. Mr. Roosevelt will regard the outcome with complacency, of course, reinforced by a fear that it will have a tendency to injure the candidate that he had nominated at Chicago. Senator Foraker has eliminated himself from the presidential campaign, but it is announced that he will make a personal canvas of Ohio on his own hook and in the interest of his own return to the United States Senate. He is seeking vindication at the hands of the people. It will be a most daring undertaking and no effort in the Senator's life will have been attended with a more drastic demand upon his physical being than this. So far as we are concerned, we are standing by the distinguished Senator from Ohio. If all of the attorneys for the great corporation had exhibited such a high type of statesmanship as he had displayed, we would not now be upon the eve of the dissolution of the great principles of this republic and permitting demagogues to enjoy the confidence of the people, when economists and statesmen should be in absolute control of the affairs of the nation.

“Senator Foraker and Standard Oil,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed September 14, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/721.