Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-30

could be seen. And this made him valuable
at any conference.
In January we had our big battery loaded.
aimed and primed. We unmasked 1t. and
Ferguson fired. I had expected the other
side to act stupidity, but l had not hoped
for such stupidity as they exhibited. Bur
banks year Of bathing in presidential nat
teries and OF fawning on and cringing 10
the multi-millionaires and their agents
hedging him around had SO wrought upon
him that he had wholly lost his point or
view. And he let his attorney genera.
pooh-pooh the proceedings-this in face OF
the great popular excitement and enthusi-
asm. 1t was not until Roebuck's lawyers
got far enough into the case against MIN
to see his danger that the administration
stopped flying in the teeth OF the cyclone
of public sentiment and began to pretend
enthusiasm, while secretly plotting the
mistrial of Fergusons cases. And not until
the United States Attorney Generals vain
Goodrich creature whose talents were Grip,
pied by his contempt for THE rabble ana
"demagoguery''-not until he had 1t forced
upon him that Ferguson could not be coun-
ter-mined. did they begin to treat with me
for peace.
shall not retail the negotiations. The
upshot was that I let the administration
drop the criminal cases against Roebuck In
return for the restoration of my power In
the national committee of the party to the
smallest elected postmaster in the fa.thest
state. The civil action was pressed by
Ferguson with all his skill as lawyer and
d
triumphantly In the supreme court-the
lower federal court with its power trust
Judge had added to his triumph by deciding
against him
Roebuck was, therefore, under the neces-
sity of going through the customary forms
of outward obedience to the supreme
courts order to him to dissolve. He had
to get at huge expense. and to carry out
at huger, a plan Of reorganization. Though
he was glad enough to escape thus lightly,
he dissembled his content and grumbled
so loudly that Burbank's fears were reused
and arrangements were made to placate
him. The scheme adopted was. l believe,
suggested by Vice President Howard. as
shrewd and cynical a rascal as ever lived
in the mire without getting smutch or
splash upon his fine linen of responsibility.
For several years there had been a strong
popular demand for a revision Of the tariff.
The party had promised to yield. but had
put Off redeeming its promise. Now. there
arose a necessity for revising the tariff in
the interest of "the interests" Some of the
schedules were too low; others protected
articles which the interests wanted as free
raw materials; few could be abolished
without offending any large interests and
with the effect of Furnishing some small
ones that had been niggard in contributing
to the campaign fund which maintains
the standing army of political workers and
augmsnts 1t whenever battle Is on. Ac-
cordingly, a revision OF the tariff was In
progress. To soothe Roebuck they gave
him a tariff schedule that would enable him
to collect each year more than the total of
the extraordinary expenses to which had
put him. Roebuck "forgave" me; and /
really forgave Burbank.
But washed my hands Of his administra-
ton. Not only did 1 actually stand aloof.
but also 1 disassociated myself from Il In
the public mind. When the crash should
come as come it must with such men at
the helm. I wished to be in position sue
cessfully to take full charge for the work
of repair.
CTo be continued tomorrow