Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-24
Efforts to Be Made by Wall
Street Interests.
WILLNOTFIGHT IN OPEN
REAL OPPOSITION TO HIM rs
SECRETLY PLANNING.
Railroad Influence Throughout the
Country to Be Used to Control
the Delegates.

Many friends of President Roosevelt VINO
hope to see him nominated next year to
succeed himself are very much alarmed
about rumors that are gradually being
spread about in relation to the manner in
which Wall street proposes to defeat the
Roosevelt nomination and to have the con-
vention select some one agreeable to their
interests.
1t is generally conceded that SO long as
Roosevelt is fought in the open by the Wall
street interests so long will he come out
ahead. 1t is the conviction that the fight
against him is not to be made in the open
that is concerning some of his friends.
Men who are frequently in close touch
with Wall street interests believe they have
discovered the method of the campaign
that will be carried on against Mr.. Roose-
welt. These men say that the outbursts of
passion that occasionally indicate the ex-
tent of the anger felt by New York inter-
ests is merely like an outbreak of Vesuvius.
1t is not planned or desired by the men
who are at the bottom of the real opposi-
ton to Roosevelt, and it is deplored py
those who feel more interest in securing his
defeat than they do in giving vent tC
wrath. The real opposition that will show
results, it is said, is being developed in
secret plans that will look to an absolute
control Of the next republican nominating
convention.
To Work Railroad Influence.
This, it is stated, is to be done very
largely by the instrumentality of the rail-
roads of the entire country. Everywhere
railroad influence is regarded as extreme
ly strong. The roads have their friends in
every community. These are men of in
f1uence in both political parties, but espe-
cially potent in republican counsels in
in which the control of delegates to the
republican convention will be of the great
est Importance.
Those who are relying on this plan for a
control of the delegates look forward to
much less interest on the part of the pub
lie in the work of nominating conventions
than is shown in elections Whatever may
be the influence Of Roosevelt in general
way in communities all over the country, It
IS not expected that this popularity will
count for much in a practical way against
the systematic work to be carried on by
shrewd politicians, who with maps in hand,
| will indicate plan of campaign to be cat
ried on in every county. backed by all the
money that may be needed to bring success.
The watchword of this campaign. 1t is
said, will be Defeat Roosevelt" All am
bilious aspirants for the honor of receiving
the nomination in that way will have some
thing to hope for and reason and incen-
tive for putting their shoulders to the
| wheel 1t is understood that there is to be
| no eHOrC 10 nave lnoSe OelSSdleS SO CHOSEN
| pledged for any one or pledged at all ex-
cept so far as their known sentiments will
| be concerned. 1t may be that some of these
| men will oppose any effort to pledge dele
gates, on the ground that they can be de-
| pended upon to do the best thing for the
| republican party if they are free to act as
| they see fit.
Work in Southern States.
| The same plan of campaign, it is said,
will be extended through the southern
| states for the purpose Of preventing Roose-
| welt Influences gaining ground there. The
| reason this plan is regarded as Of the ut
| most strength and most likely to win out is
| because Of the powerful incentive that ami
| mates those opposed to Roosevelt and
| their conviction that 1t will not be possible
| to place in opposition to their efforts any
| thing like an equal movement, for the rea-
| son that Mr.. Roosevelts friends cannot
| possibly have the same incentive to action.
| 1t is believed that Mr. Rooseve1ts stand
on the civil service reform will be practi-
cally of no use to him.
There will be no great body of Office
| holders working to overcome these inhu
ences, because, in the first place. Mr. Roose-
| velt's own principles would be against such
a proceeding, and, in the second place,
| civil service reform will be felt to be prac-
| tically as safe under one as another admin
| istratfon so long as 1T Is republican one
Public sentiment may be much in ev;-
| dence, but 1t is feared that it will not be
| so influential as the work against Mr.
Roosevelt systematically pursued