The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1907-04-12
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Washington Notes

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1t is not generally known, but it
is a fact, none the less, that when
the Spaniards laid to ambush the
Rough Riders at Gausinas in Cuba
the whole plot Was spoiled because
one man was too eager, and shot at
the head OF the column before it got
we'll into the line OF fire. There is
a remarkably similarity about the
things that have happened in the
political world this week. Whether
the Hartman letter with the at
tendant discussion was responsible
for springing the mine too soon, it
is impossible to say. If that discus
sion had not arisen, political enc
mics of the administration might
not have gotten gay and talked so
much. But the fact remains that
someone leaked, land about the pref
test plot on record in American pol
itics has been spoiled. It is alleg-
ed that Senator Penrose got extra
communicative at a dinner recently
and announced there was scheme
afoot, not to beat the President for
the denomination, because it is not
generally believed that he would
take the denomination under any
circumstances, but to beat his plan
for getting a free man and a man
after his own heart nominated by
the republican party. The details
of the plot are little too explicit
and probable to make it seem all
talk. 1t was to the effect that the
railroads and big corporate interest
including Hartman, H. 81. Rogers
and the rest of the Standard Oil
crowd had started fund of S., 00O,-
400 to thwart the President in the
next campaign in securing a man
for the republican nomination who
would carry out the Presidents pol
icies. The scheme was to get dele
gates in all the states pledged to
Roosevelt on the first ballot, and
thus presumably pledged to the
Presidents choice after he had de-
clined 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 it in 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 re-
lated 1t 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 thoroughly 1t was stated at the
White House that his name had
never been mentiond 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 on till the
next republican convention against
any realization of such plot. AL
together it was remarkably story.
and one that has been in the air for
over a week. It was believed there
was something doing under the sur
face in the way of opposition to the
President, and that the railroads
we're at the bottom of it in revenge
for what they consiudered was un-
generous treatment at the hands of
the administration. But that any
thing so widespread and finished in
the way of a conspiracy was afoot
was not generally credited. There
are a good many repubpllcans now
who say that the President has been
deceived and that there is no such
organized opposition to him as he
believes, and the avowed opponents
of the administration are laughing
and tapping their foreheads signifi-
cantly to indicate something radi-
cally wrong mentally. But it liz be-