Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-10
Springing of the Hartman Let.
ter Was Fortunate in Reveal
ing Plot Against President
MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE WON
Some ~ the inside History Of This Re.
markable Episode - Secretary Roots
Good Work in South American Re.
pubIcs Seem. to Have Been Wasted
Il --Washinston News.

Washington, April 1o.--Tt is not gen
orally known. but it Is fact, none the
less. that when the Spaniards laid te
ambush the Rough Riders at Gausi-
mas, In Cuba, the whole plot was
and shot at the head OF the column be-
fore 1t got well into the lins Of fire
There is a remarkable similarity about
the things that have happened In the
political world this week Whether
the Hartman letter With the attendant
discussion was responsible for spring
ing the mine too soon, it is impossible
to say II that discussion had not
4 arisen political enemies OF the admin
istration might not have gotten gay
and talked SO much. But the fact re-
mains that some one leaked, and about
the prettiest plot on record in Ameri-
can politics has been spoiled.
It is alleged that Senator Penrose
got extra communicative at a dinner
recently and announced there was a
scheme afoot, not to beat the presi-
dent for the denomination, because it
Sts not generally believed he would
take the denomination under any cir
Scumstances but to beat his plan for
getting q free man and man after
his own heart nominated by the re-
publican party. The details of the plot
are q little too explicit and probable
to make it seem all talk. It was to the
effect that the railroads and big cor
pOrate interests, including Hartman,
II. III. Rogers, and the rest of the
Standard Oil crowd, had started a fund
OF $4,000, 900 to thwart the president
In the next campaign in securing a
unan for the republican nomination who
would carry out the presidents poll
cies. The scheme was to get delegates
In all the, states pledged to Roosevelt
on the first ballot, and thus preshm-
ably pledged to the presidents choice
after he had declined the nomination,
which It was confidently expected he
would do, The program was then to
stampede them on the second ballot to
some man not at all of the presidents
choice. 1t is said that Senator PEN
rose attended a dinner recently, and
to put it5in plain language, got con-
vtvial and talked too much. The story
was heard by one OF the friends of the
president who was at the dinner and
he promptly related it at the white
house.
Of.course Senator Penrose came out
with a prompt denial Of his role in the
story After he had denied it thor
oughly 1t was stated at the white house
that his name had never been men
toned in connection with the matter.
nor had the name Of anyone else. But
the president was said to have all the
details OF the story In his possession
and both he and his real friends will
be on their guard from now till the
next republican convention against any
realization Of such a plot.
Altogether 1t Is a remarkable story
and one that has been in the air for
over week. It was believed there
was something doing under the surface
In the way of opposition to the presi-
dent and that the railroads were at
the bottom OF It In revenge for what
they considered was ungenerous treat
ment at the hands of the administra-
tion. But that anything so widespread
and finished In the way of conspir-
acy was afoot was not generally cred
tied. There are good ,many repub-
aicans now who say that the president
has been deceived and that there is
no such organized opposition to him as
ne believes, and the avowed oppon-
ents OF the administration are laugh
ing and tapping their foreheads signifi-
cantly to indicate something radically
wrong mentally. But 1t is believed
none the less that the plot story is in
the main correct and 1t has served to
put the friends Of the administration
very thoroughly on their guard.
/, In spite of Secretary Roots recent
visit in spite Of Andrew Carnegie,s
dollars for the building OF peace pail
ace for the bureau Of American repub-
Ice, all is not harmony between the
Latin American republics and the
United States. Scarcely had Secretary
Root returned with words of praise for I
all he saw below the equator, before
Nicaragua and Honduras fell out over
! lowly mule and resorted to fisticuffs |
Uncle Sam is preparing to spank them
Now 1t is Chile that has caused the
rift in the lutte.
Chile is sulky The long drawn out
republic that takes UP much OF the
space on the western coast of South |
America, believes it is entitled to a
more dignified representation here in
than 1t has enjoyed in the
past Grateful under the ovation CIV
IN him at Valparaiso and Santiago,
Secretary Root lent a willing ear to the
Chilean appeal, and prospects seemed
,right that the little republic would
gain its ends
Then there was trouble. Brazil Is
he only South American nation that
las been deemed of sufficient import
nee in the past to entitle 1t to the
onors of an embassy here. When Chile
trove to get into the Brazilian class
here was an uproar in South America
hat rocked the Andes and made the
mighty Amazon run backward in its
hannel Cries of "caramba!" rang
rom peak to peak and protests piled up
n Washington.
Then negotiations took a sudden
rop. Secretary Root shook off the
nervating effects of his southern trip
nd intimated politely and diplomatic
lily to Chile that its requests. much
8 he regretted. scarcely could be
omplied with at this time. whereupon s
'hile who had withdrawn its minister,
enor Walker Martinez, to take part
4 the Pan-American conference at