The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-12
No tremendous Plot to Defeat Pres
fdent Roosevelt for the Re-
nomination.
NEWSPAPER SENSATIONALISM
OPPOSITION EFFORT TO MAKE
TROUBLE IN REPUBLICAN PARTY.
President Has Asked for No Reports,
and He Has the Utmost Confidence
i'm Payne and Bristow.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. June n-Postmaster
General Payne did not return to-day from
Cleveland, as was expected, but will ar
rive in the morning. General Bristow. in
charge of the investigation, said to-day
there were no new developments. AS might
be expected would be the result, the lull
in the live news of the matter has pro-
duced activity among the gossips and wild
efforts of the sensational newspaper cor
respondents to find something upon which
to hang dull summer day story. The lat
est production along that line is what might
be termed "a peach" and the author of
1t is entitled to the front rank in the CO.
teries Of reckless sensationalists. His story
was to-day pronounced by President
Roosevelt as utterly silly and absurd,
without the semblance of truth. 1t will keep
many men constantly busy to follow up and
deny the many absurd and unnecessary
stories told regarding the origin, progress
and results of the postoff1ce investigation.
This latest plunge into the fairy land of
romance appeared to-day in New York
paper, under head lines of the big and black
kind The basis of the story was the al
legation that the investigation had dis
closed tremendous plot to defeat the re-
nomination Of Mr. Roosevelt and that
members Of the national Republican COM
mittee and leading Republican senators
and representatives had conspired to
the free delivery service, that mighty en-
CINE for reaching the people. as the means
of accomplishing the overthrow of the
President; also that Postmaster General
Payne had winked at the whole proceed
ings, and had declined to take cognizance
of the villainy that was pouring patron
age and fat contracts in the laps of senators
and representatives in the combine: that
First Assistant Postmaster General Wynne
had insisted Upon an investigation of the
jobbery going on, but had been resisted
by the postmaster general: that President
Roosevelt had called Wynne to the White
House and told him there must be an in
vestigation, and that he CWynne) must con-
duct 1t, but Wynne induced the President
to place the matter in the hands of Fourth
Assistant Bristow; that Postmaster Gen.
eral Payne had remained Indifferent to the
whole proceeding and the reports by Bris-
tow and Wynne had been made direct
to President Roosevelt, and not until POST
master General Payne was aroused by the
arrests Cid he begin to take an active inter-
est in the affair. The name of Senator
Lodge and Mr. Wynne were starred big in
the story from beginning to end, and there
was much allusion to the part Mr.. Wynne
Is alleged to have taken in pressing the
With a copy of New York paper in his
hands to-day, while on his way to the city
from Cleveland, President Roosevelt COM
mented upon the mass of stun as being
silly and absurd, without scintilla of
truth.
made no reports whatever to President
Roosevelt, but he had made all reports to
Postmaster General Payne
President Roosevelt also remarked to-day
nm
ing the investigation. but hoped when the
whole matter was ended that full reports
upon hpo IL would you'd be given to the public. He
management Of the matter, and also the
fullest confidence in Mr.. Bristow, who has
been praised in high terms by Mr.. Payne
for the admirable manner in which he has
conducted the investigation.
without attempting to suggest what the
basis is for these misrepresentation OF the
facts connected with the origin and prog
ress Of the investigation, it is only neces-
sary to say there is too much reckless talk
ing INDUCED in by persons in the depart
ment who have only casual information re-
garding the whole matter. II is evident the
constant efforts to make 1t appear that Mr.
Payne was forced into making the investi-
cation and that President Roosevelt was
dissatisfied with him from the beginning is
so utterly false and malicious an attempt
to discredit Mr.. Payne before the people
or the country that anybody within the de-
partment who gives currency to any such
reports is guilty of nothing short of malevo-
lent misunderstanding. which cannot but re-
act upon the perpetrators of the business.
The cause, origin, progress and every de-
tail of the investigation will sooner or later
be laid before the country. and it will then
be found that the full facts have been told
when 1t was stated that Mr. Payne origi-
mated the investigation months before the
friction in the department divulged
and that he has had from the first the cor
dial and enthusiastic support of President
Roosevelt and the cooperation to the full
est possible degree of Mr.. Bristow. in whose
hands the investigation was placed and who
has had full charge of it.
JOHN E. MONK.