Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-28
A SUGGESTED PLOT AGAINST ROOSEVELT

A washington Speclai 10 tie new
York Tribune notices Roosevelt bolt
in Nebraska in the statement that Ross
L. Hammond postmaster of Fremont
and editor of the Fremont (Neb.) Trib-
une, one of the most influential repub-
pudiated the action of the republican
state convention, which endorsed the
administrations Cuban policy, over the
protest of Senator's Willard and Diet
rich of that state. This is generally ac-
cepted in Washington as confirming the
theory that the defeat of the reciprocity
bill in the senate indicates thu, existence
of a well laid plot among republicans in
congress to humiliate President Roose-
welt before the country and so euibar-
rass his administration as to injure his
prospects for nomination in 1904. Mr..
Hammond (who was formerly a Mar
shall county boy) is an acknowledged
factor in Nebraska politics, and was re-
Gently reappointed postmaster of FIRE.
mont on the recommendation of Senator
Millard and others. In his editorial
Reputation of the Nebraska state con-
Avention's Endorsement of President
Roseva1 Mr. Hammond says:
1.-THE Tribune affirms adherence to
the proposition that this government
does not still owe the Cubans q debt
that must be discharged at the expense
of the young and promising industry of
beet sugar production"
The New York Tribune correspondent
goes on to say:
1T is suspected in Washington that
Mr. Hammond is making a strong bid
for martyrdonl, his supposed hope be-
ing that this bolt will cause fault TO be
found here with his conduct OF the
postoffice at Fremont, when of course,
he would resign and assert that he had
been forced out because he had criti-
cised the administration in his neWspa-
per. There Is no likelihood, however,
that any official notice will be taken of
his course in this matter, altho it is be-
lieved that he will follow up his repu-
diation of the Nebraska platform with
other editorial criticisms OF, the Dresi-
dent to force attention to himself, in
the expectation that eventually his wish
to become a martyr would De realized,
and he could continue to stir UP strife.
"Sentator Willard said tonight that
he regretted the course Of Mr.. Ham
mond, altho, of course, the senator was
in no way responsible for it. Mr.. Ham
mond,' said the senator, IS one of the
most powerful republicans in Nebraska,
and while hope his bolt will not do
harm either to the president or the
party in my state, still it may have
some influence. However 1 want it
distinctly understood that while ] en-
dorsed him for postmaster of Fremont
have no control over his newspaper. l
believe that Unless the affair is agltated
too much it will soon die out, and in
spite of Mr.. Hammond's attitude to-
ward the administration / am certain
President Roosevelt is as strong in Ne
braska as he ever was.
at is interesting, il not significant,
that the Third congressional district in
which Mr.. Hammond lives, is one oil the
closest in THE west, and is now repre-
sented by a democrat, Judge Robinson,
who was elected two years ago by the
narrow margin of about 200 votes. The
republicans had strong hopes OF re-
claiming this district, but 1t is now
feared that the detection of Mr.. Ham
mond will assure democratic success
there again next fall. When 1T is horne
in mind that part of the alleged
scheme of the cabal of the senate
and house republicans to defeat Presi-
dent Roosevelt is to throw the next
house to the democrats, the Importance
of the Hammond move becomes all the
more apparent"
If there is such a plot as indicated
above very little has come to the sur
face in way to confirm it. 1t is be-