The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-15
Concerted Movement On in the
s. East to Destroy Prestige
%- of President. .
CONSPIRACY TO TURN
PEOPLE AGAINST HIM
santo Domingo, Philippine Tariff,
Statehood and Morris Case
Furnish Weapons.
Bv w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Jan. 15.-There is a de-
iberate effort under way in Washln..
ton to break down the prestige of
President Roosevelt thruout the coun.
try. At the head of the effort are all
the "antis' in both houses of con-
gress and an army of lobbyists.
The effort has now reached the point
where it is a conspiracy and the fact
that it seems to have secured the sup
port of some of the large metropolitan
papers of the east, gives it footing
which entities to some specifications.
1t is assumed by the consplrators
that if the prestige. Of the president
made to believe that he is dangerous
man, is unsafe, is extreme and cruel
this last charge Ringing upon the case
of Mrs Morris-everything else would
be easy. rate legislation can be de-
feated, and the other plans Of the presi-
dent for curtailing the trusts and great
corporations thru proceedings IN the
and visionary.
Trusts VS.. President.
The fight is between these great cor
porations on the one hand, with their
tremendous power of wealth, and the
president on the other. The odds are
fearfully against him, but If he can
maintain the confidence Of the public,
he will win.
The struggle is to determine which
side can win the confidence. The presi-
dent now has it in an unusually large
way While this condition continues
it would be useless for the railroad or
any other great interests to oppose
him, but in proportion as that conf
dence can be shaken, the hands of the
president in his struggle for higher and
better things in public life will be par
alyzed.
The santo Domingo situation. the
Philippine tariff, statehood and the
Mrs. Morris case are the principal
clubs now being used.
The Morris Case.
As to the Morris case, there is nc
question that the very worst and most
condemnatory features of that story
were given to the public and every
thing suppressed which would have
given the people the truth. The case
was not nearly so bad as reported, anc
so convinced is the president that wha
was done was justified and not tine
tured with anything resembling cruel
that there shall be no official inquir,
into It. When this announcement wa
made, certain eastern newspapers fairl
frothed at the mouth.
OF course, if the charges in the MOI
ris case as made in some Of the news
papers could be justified, long ste
would be taken toward convincing tn
general public that the president is no
entitled to their sympathy and supper
Conspiracies Common.
Conspiracies of this sort have bee
common in the history of this govern
ment, and they have always CON
about when the president was ANA
of high ideals and was trying, in tt
public interests, to substitute some be
ter system for one that had been trie
and found wanting. Washington hi1
self was not free from opposition {
that sort, and it has been linked wi
the names of Jefferson, Madison, JAG
son, Lincoln, and, in later years, Clev
land during his second term. B
never has it assumed a more sinist
aspect than at the present time.
The money power of the Unit
States made up its mind that certa
high reforms for which President Roos
welt stands shall never be crystalliz
in law The most offensive Of the
reforms is embodied in the Hepburn b
for rate legislation. Another is t
stringent order recently issued to d
trict attorneys thruout the country
press hard against all violations of t
present law and bring suits wherev
the opportunity offered.