The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-25
WORK OF MAJ. RATHBONE THAT
GAVE HIN HIS PULL WITH M'KINL LEY

If the Mckinley administration IS fore
co. through the clamor Of ublic OF in'oHs
to remove Mai. E. G. Rathbone di e ter
general of posts in Cuba, whose mama
has been connected with the 100000 Neely
steal, it will be with the deepest feelings
of regret. writes Frederick Boyd Steven
son in the New York Telegraph Rath-
bone has been an exceedingly yaluab'e
man for the Republican party His rsal
usefulness as a partisan was demonstrat-
ed during the Blaine campaign. l met
Maj. Rathbone in Cincinnati in tn, fall
of 1884, when ] had ample oDportunity
to become convinced that he was a man
upon whom his party could rely in al
cases where GOODNESS, force and abb itv
were required. He was at that time post
office inspector for the Cincinnati district,
and the party managers who had been as
signed to the duty of carrying Ohio at
all odds had implicit faith in his abb fty
to help them out in an undertaking that
the country at large looked upon as a very
doubtful proposition.
1t was the last October election to be
held in Ohio. Following 1t would come
the national election in November Both
the great political parties were strain
Ing every effort to carry the state in the
October election for the moral effect 1t
would have upon the voters at large The
Blaine managers had decided they had
to have Ohio at any price. At that time a
man who stood high in the party coun-
ellis and who had been one of the most
industrious to push forward the B'aina
boom was ]. S. Clarkson, one of the
proprietors Of the Des Moines DO
State Register. Clarkson was intrusted
with Ohio. He was absolutely ruler of
the state for the period of a month or
so so far as the federal government was
concerned. HIS word was law and he
had carte blanche in the matter of spend
ing money. Some weeks before the Oc-
tober election Clarkson opened headquar-
tiers at the old Burnett house He ha1
already found out the usefulness of Mai
Rathbone. but IN order to strength n
himself still further with federal officials
he sent for Capt. Jim Stuart, postoffice
inspector of the Chicago district Clark
son knew Stuart well. They had lived
together in the state of Iowa, and were
warm personal friends. Stuart was an
old soldier and Clarkson knew him to be
a man of unquestioned personal courage.
That was the kind of men he wanted
around him on this particular occasion.
BUILDING PARTY BULWARKS.
With two such mn as AIaj.. Eath-
bone and Capt Stuart. Clarkson was
ready for business. But in order to
still further strengthen himself he called
to him a far Western federal official
named Llewellyn, who was known to be
a very shifty man for certain kinds Of
work requiring cool brains and quick ac-
ton. Llewellyn had the reputation of
being amply able to take care of himself
under any and all circumstances With
Clarkson doing the heavy head work
and these men carrying out his orders,
the combination was exceedingly strong
The plan mapped out by Clarkson, al
though old, has generally proved eff
fective First of all he opened a news
bureau-that means of offensive and de-
fensive warfare so much relied upon by
the Republicans. He had with him two
stenographers, whom he kept busy writ
ing out the editorials for the rural press
and the so called news for both rural
and metropolitan papers
His first great care was to impress
upon the good people Of Ohio that they