The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-08

made against Rooseveltism and to en-
list them in the movement.
Harriman's visit was the subject of
interesting conjecture during the en-
tire week he was in Washington, and
for many days after he returned to
New York he declared that he was
merely sightseeing and resting and
tabliShing a foundation for the as
sertiOn by walking and driving about
the streets of the city every afternoon,
accompanied generally by his youth
| full son.
| But the real formation of the anti
Roosevelt plot took place while Harri-
man was here and the movement has
been gaining strength and headway
/ ever since. The president is fairly well
| informed of what went on.
| Hartman came here not to gain re-
cruits nor to make converts among the
members of the senate. He came for
purposes of consultation and organ
| ization. The movement against the
| president was really started in the
| senate by the trust representatives
who hold seats in that body. These
men, who have been doing the bidding
of the corporations in opposing every
policy OF the public welfare, the presi-
dent has established are and have
been the political agents of the system
just as much as Hartman himself is
tho railroad manager.
While here Hartman was in nightly
conference with members Of the SEN
ate. There was given a series of pri-
had looted the Chicago & Alton rail-
road, and had defied the law and the
public interest in his other railroad op-
erations. and the guests and hosts were
United States senators and such finan-
ciers as Hartman wanted to join in
the discussion of ways and means.
Some of these men came to Washing
ton and departed again secretly. Their
names appeared on no hotel registers.
nor were the dinners, except in a few
instances, mentioned in the newspa-
pers.
Hartman, talking freely all day
about schemes of railroad development
and cooperation between the railroads
and the government, guarded with the
greatest care his movements after
nightfall.
So it happened that while the public
was being served by all the newspapers
with columns of Harriman's. views on
the subject of railroad management, it
was unable to obtain even a hint as
to Harriman's real purposes in Wash
ington. He was here to promote his
own and the trust scheme, to end all
talk of civic virtue and legislation for
the good of the public.
One of the dinners Hartman at
tended was attended also by ex-Sena-
tor Spooner, who had just resigned
from the senate, and by Senator For
aker, the leading reactionary of the
senate Senator Depew of New York
thrust into the senate by New York
Central and Hartman influences, was
the host.
Another dinner was given at the |
Willard hotel, at which were present |
Senators Kean of New Jersey, Elkins !
of West Virginia, Aldrich of Rhode
Island and a long list of men promi- |
nent in railroad control and financial |
jugglery in Wall street.
There is keen comprehension in |
Washington that if the forces of the
administration are defeated in this
great fight, reaction in government.
even to the extent of nullifying the
laws which Roosevelt, more than any-
one else, has had enacted to restrain
corporation greed. must follow i'm
mediately.
If Roosevelt had not spoken at all
the character of campaign Foraker is
to wage against Taft and the admins
tration in Ohio, the speeches delivered
in Philadelphia by ex-senator Thurs
ton and Mayor Reyburn, and the at
tack upon Roosevelt made by ex-Gov-
ernor Odell in New York, taken with
the publication OF Harriman's letter to