New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-04
PRESIDENT SEES PLOT.
THINKS HARRIUAN IN Ut.
BelieUes Increment Is on Foot to
Oppose His Policies.

Washington. April 3.-The President IS con-
vinced that there is now on foot a conspiracy
20 defeat his policies in the next Congress and
the next national convention. a movement sim
liar to "the rich mans conspiracy which. three
years ago. sought to defeat his nomination and
to secure the nomination of Mr.. Hanna: that
the conspiracy. under the guise Of the ''favorits
SON. movement is already on foot in Ohio and
Pennsylvania and that Mr.. Hartman is one Of
the ringleaders.
These and numerous other interesting facts
came out at the White House to-day in con-
versatiOn which the President had with NUM-
Der OF Washington correspondents in regard to
the Hartman incident and it's relation 20 cur
rent and past political events.
It is said that Mr.. Hartman. who was
one Of the "conspirators' in the Hanna boom.
arose at that time in a meeting Of prominent
hnanciers and declared hfs ability to deliver
the delegations Of six states. namely, lows,
which was to be controlled through the good
offices OF Mr.. Blythe. general counsel for the
Chicago. Burlington & Quincy Railway
Nebraska. Kansas. Colorado. Idaho and Cali
fornia. 1t apparent to the President and
his friends that Mr.. Harriman's promise could
not have been fulfilled. although knowledge OK
the effort led to the rapid perfection Of organ
izations in California. where W. C. Van Fleet
led the Roosevelt forces. in Colorado and IN
other states.
The first news OF the dIsanection came from
Judge Pritehard OF North Carolina. who had
assured the President of the support OF the
solid delegation OF his state. and who later came
to the White House TO say that he feared he
would be unable to fulfil his PROMISE certain
influential fnanciers and members OF tho To-
bacoo Trust were working against him Ia tho
eastern part OF the state.
INTENDS TO PRESS REFORMS
The President has made IL obvious that rs
purposes to press his recommendation that the
Interstate Commerce Commission be authorised
to deal with the question OF overcapitalization
OF railways and 1t IS with the hope OF defeat
ing this policy in the next Congress. well
Of preventing the nomination Of a successor
who is in sympathy with 1Tr. Roossvelts policy
OF dealing with railways and trusts when they
violate the law. that the present conspiracy has
been formed. he believes.
AprOpOs OF the Hartman letter to Mr. Web
steT it is learned that Mr.. Hartman has for q
long time been circulating the reports contained
In II among his financial and political friends
and that Information to this effect has reached
the President from various sources. When il
was reported to the President by Representa-
tive James s. Sherman that Mr. Hartman
had said ne was Indifferent to Hearstism be-
cause those people were crooks and ne
could buy them. and that he conld also -bUy
Congress and the judiciary" the allegations ce
Mr. Sherman and others were brought 70 the
attention OF Mr.. Hartman through an internle-
diary Mr. Hartman replied, through this IN
termediary. who is close to him. denying that
he had made any remarks which reflected on the
President and asserting that his declaration that
he could buy Congress and the judiciary was
said in joke In the estimation Of the President.
the Webster letter proves clearly that Mr. Har-
riman had made the charges against the Pres
ident which Mr. Sherman reported and also
gives verisimilitude to the remainder OF Mr..
sherman's statement. which Hartman denied
and which cannot. thus far. be proved by docu-
Inentary evidence.
Mr. Aarriman's visit TO the President, Il is de-
clared with emphasis. was solely to insist that
the President compel Nessrs. Cortelyou and
Bliss 10 be more generous with the New York
state organization. which was badly in need OF
funds Mr. Hartman IS said 20 have become
greatly excited in his interview with the
President He declared. pounding the Presi-
dents desk with his fist. that IL was obvious that
the rest Of the country was safely Republican.
hut that there was grave danger Of losing New
York and that to do would be a reflection on
him: that certain influential New York papers
were attacking him and OdelI. and that Cor
telvou and Bliss must be made 20 loosen up"
He told the President that he had himself raised
$1,000 for the state organization and that the
burden on him had now become too heavy and
- (,ba President must insist that CortelyOu
come 10 the rescue.
The President who was receiving similar ap-
meals from various states. notably Missouri, NtF-
zinia Kentucky and Tennessee. well as from
various Congress districts. told Mr.. Hartman
he would lay the matter before Messrs. Corsel-
Won and Bliss and accordingly wrote to MI
CorteIvOu as was his custom in all such cases.
asking the chairman to do what he could.
As for the Depew incident. Mr.. Hartman was
deeplv concerned that Mr.. Depew be provided
for an some vrav other than IN the Senate The
PRESIDENT understood that certain large fnan-
c5ars had clearly indicated that they would sub
scribe nothing TO the state campaign fund un-
lass Mr.. Depew were provided for. and Mr.. Har-
riman declared II would greatly clear the situa-
tion II Mr. Depew could be removed from the
Senatorial equation. II reported at the
White House by others. including several mem-
hers Of the New York Assembly. that they un-
derstood the New York Legislature was to elect
Mr.. Hartman to Mr. Depew's seat in the Sem
ate and James j. Hill was quoted having
said that Mr. Hartman aspired TO the Senate.
Others. however. reported that Mr.. Hartman
purposed to send Mr.. OdeIl to the Senate in his
stead ThrOuehout however. the President en-
nbattcalIv declared his unwiIIingness to appoint
Mr.. Depew Ambassador TO France. and later de-
clared that he could not appoint Mr.. Hyde, who
was subsequently, ildOrsed by Mr.. Hartman. all
of which is shown by the correspondence made
public this morning.
The President IN no way regrets that an open
rupture between himself and Mr.. Hartman
should have come about.