Middletown transcript., 1907-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER


simas in Cuba the whole plot was spoiled
because one man was too eager, and shot
at the head Of the column before it got
well into the line of fire. There is a re-
markable similarity about the things that
have happened in the political world this
week. Whether the Hartman letter
with the attendant discussion was respon-
sible for springing the mine too soon, it is
impossible to say. If that discussion had
not arisen, political enemies of the Ad-
ministration might not have gotten gay
and talked SO much. But the fact remains
that someone leaked, ,and about the pretti-
est plot on record in American politics
had been spoiled. 1t is alleged that Sen.
ator Penrose got extra communicative at
dinner recently and announced there
was a scheme afoot, not to beat the Pres
ident for the denomination, because it is
not generally believed he would take the
denomination under any circumstances,
but to beat his plan for getting free man
otiu tIioh oitOi MS OWH HcdFI HOullIlaL6u
by the Republican party. The details of
the plot are little too explicit and prob
able to make it seem all talk. 1t was to
the effect that the railroads and big cor
porate interest including Hartman, H.
H. Rogers and the rest of the Standard
| Oil crowd had started fund of S., 600, 900
to thwart the President in the next cam
| paign i'll securing man for the Republi-
| can nomination who would carry out the
| Presidents policies. The scheme was to
get delegates in all the states pledged to
Roosevelt on the first ballot, and thus pre-
suInably 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 the presidents choice
1t is said that Senator Penrose attended a
dinner recently, and to put it i'll plain
language, got drunk 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 prompt denial of his role in the
story. After he had denied it thoroughly,
it was stated at the White House that his
name had never been mentioned in con-
| nection 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 con-
| vention against any realization of such a
plot. Altogether it is remarkable story,
and one that has been in the air for over
a week. 1t was believed that there was
something doing under the surface in the
way of opposition to the President, and
that the railroads were at the bottom of
it in revenge for what they considered
was ungenerous treatment at the hands OF
the administration. But that anything
so widespread and finished in the way of
conspiracy was afoot vas not generally
credited. There are good many Repub-
licans now who say that the President has
been deceived and that there is no such
organized opposition to him as he be-
lieyes and the avowed opponents of the
| administration are laughing and tapping
their foreheads significantly to indicate
something radically wrong mentally.
But it is believed none the lass that the
plot story is in the main Correct, and it
has served to put the friends of the ad-
ministration very thoroughly on their
guard.
~
The attitude of the HarIiman interests
before the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion this week has been that of men
deeply wronged in all effort to do what
was right. Arguments are being heard
by the commission from the counsel for
the railroads and the special attorneys for
the commission to decide what course
should be taken in regard to the questions
that Mr.. Hartman refused to answer at
the recent New York hearing and what
sort of report should be made to the At
torney-General on which h might base
prosecution if lie saw fit under the Sher-
man Antitrust Law. The most remark
able argument by any of the railroad at !
torneys was that of John &. Milburn. who
stated to the Commission in the most |
serious fashion, that there Was no ground |
for proceeding against Mr.. Hartman un-
der the Sherman Antitrust Law. He |
said that the antitrust law was aimed |
only at a combination of railroads or other |
corporations who entered into an agree
ment to fix rates and prices, but that in |
the case OF the Southern Pacific and the |
Union Pacific Railroads, Mr.. Hartman
had bought them both and that even if .
he bought them with the announced in.
tention of sitting competition and re-
straining trade, the Law could do nothing !
with him because he owned the roads and |
could do with them as lie wished. Mr. |
MiIburn said that any attempt on the
part of the government to regulate tie
roads under such circumstances would lie |
interfering with private property and
could not be justified for moment. At
torney Severance for the Commission re-
piled that this was an entirely fallacious
view OF the matter and read a number Of
decisions, including that Of the United
States Supreme Court ia the Northern Sc
curities case which fully covered the rail-
road contention and showed that the
Sherman law was designed to prevent
combinations in restraint Of trade whether
owned by one man, absolutely or held by
a trust.
~
The first general transfer and pro-
rnotioi, in tI,o oOpSnior oar,;o, -, IL