The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-13

from him aspromise that he would as
slst IN furthering Mr. Coler's chances.
1t was the first favor Mr.. Mclaughlin
had asked of Mr.. HILL who was deep
ly indebted so far as political favors
went, to Hugh Mclaughlin Mr.. Hill
had the state machinery and it proved
for him the old story of "a short
horse soon curried." Judge Parker
was defeated and Mr.. Coler made the
nominee, to be in turn defeated by
the present governor of New York,
Benjamin B. Odell, by the smallest
margin ever given a successful candi-
| date for governor of New York state.
None who make study OF politics
but is today willing to agree that had
Judge Parker been nominated instead
of Coler the ballots would have told
story different than they did
To Reckon With Hill.
Be that as it may, the defeat of
Judge Parker for the nomination was
blow that had the effect of almost
once that Mr.. Hill was a man with
whom he would have to reckon. Pre-
vious to that time Mr.. Hill had never
entered seriously into Mr.. Minton's
calculations. Now he saw that Mr.
Hill would have to be won over. Mr..
Mclaughlin also had shown that he
was not inclined to look with favor
upon ambitions any one might cher
lsh for Judge Parker. How to win
Mr.. HIPS friendship and to wind up
the career of Mr.. Mclaughlin as a
political power became the thoughts
uppermost in the mind of Mr.. Min
ton.
A short time before Mr.. Minton
had picked out his man who he in
tended should provide the finances
with which to defray the expenses
necessary in conducting a political
campaign on national lines, and who
was to publicly receive credit for
naming candidate for president. The
man of his choice was August Bel
whose banking institution has long
been the American connection of the
Rothschilds and who is a power in
street railway affairs in Gotham. Mr..
Minton knew Mr.. Belmont when he
saw him. That was about all. Mr..
Belmont's acquaintance with Mr.. Min
ton amounted to about the same
thing, if as much. Yet Mr.. Minton
succeeded in obtaining an audience
with the capitalist, to whom he unfold
ed his plans, and in time interested
him in the project of securing the
presidential nomination for Judge
Parker.
Spoke of Prejudice.
At first Mr.. Belmont was inclined to
believe the task hopeless one. He
spoke of the prejudice that had ex-
listed among the Democrats of the
west and south against New York
er. But Mr.. Minton explained to Mr..
Belmont how conditions had changed.
He spoke of the diStruSt with which |
the business element of the country
viewed Roosevelt, who was sure of
being the nominee of his party. Mr.. |
Belmont wanted to know how much
money Mr.. Minton thought would be |
necessary to defray the legitimate ex-
penses of such a campaign. Mr.. Min |
ton stated that he could not answer |
that question, except that it would |
undoubtedly take a great deal of mon |
ey. He pointed out that Mr.. Belmont |
could well afford to take such a chance !
-l7af hut fr~ff4 10
as compared with the great Belmont |
riches. To have the honor of nam
ing candidate for president of the |
United States who would stand |
Mr.. MintOn thought would be recon- |
pense sufficient to satisfy any outlay, |
particularly where the expenditure
would amount to but a very small |
part of big whole. Mr.. Minton
pointed to Mark Hanna, who made it |
possible for William Mckinley to re-
ceive the presidential nomination at
st. Louis in 1896 who turned the
current of public thought from Will
liam Jennings Bryan to Mckinley and
who landed his man in the white
house.
You could be the Mark Hanna of
Minton, ''in case Parker is nominated
and elected. I believe it possible to
nominate him and L earnestly believe
he could be elected
n ollSllJ acquaintance.
Mr.. Belmont had but the slightest
acquaintance with Judge Parker.
There were several other conferences,
one with the judge at his
farm. Mr.. Sheehan and several 9TH
ers were at that meeting. After it
was through with Mr. Belmont told
Mr.. Minton to cut loose, meaning that
he was willing to furnish the money
to organize throughout the country
for the Parker movement or to see
n n hot fIn 10 h aI
whenever funds were necessary. No s
special amount was named. Mr..
Minton understood it that when he
needed money. no matter in what
amount, he had simply to draw on ]
Mr.. Belmont. He lost not a moment
N getting down to effective work. By
he 1st of last october he had made ]
If Judge Parker pretty well-known
quantity politically. BY the end of No l
vember the Parker bureau at the Min {
ION home at Flatbush was in full
blast. Representative Democrats from
.lmost every state in the Union were
rom one to half a dozen men would
get off at the Beverly road station {
on the Long Island railroad Quietly '
hey would wend their way to Min i
.on's There they would meet Mr. t
Minton by previous engagement made ]
over a telephone. the number of which
s not in the public telephone books
md which is private Sometimes they !
would meet Mr.. Belmont and on other .
occasions Mr.. Sheehan was on hand.
Aside from the coterie of Mr.. Min !
,on'S Saturday night friends no one
n Flatbush knew aught of what was
going on at Minton's. When at home
Mr.. Minton left his house promptly
1t $40 each morning, walked to the {
Beverley road station and took a train
FOR his New York office, which is {
we'll down underneath the great gold
IN dome of the Pulitzer building,
where the New York World is pub |
TT, -,<.I, =
April he travelled extensively, visiting {
almost every state. On these visits
he met and conferred with the right
men in each state-the men who could !
eIaI, tc,r. i