Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-02
CONSPIRACY IS DEAD
Plan to Shelve Roosevelt Was
More Than Mere Hallu-
cination
suDDED At A GAME OF POKER
President Established Fact of Its
Existence Before He Proceeded to
Puncture Bubble = Millions Offered
For Defense-scheme is Now De-
funet.

IuuCSs
Washington, May 2-When President
Roosevelt animated that he had much
corroborative evidence in reserve re-
garding the alleged $5,00O,000 conspir-
acy to bring about the nomination and
election of q reactionary as president,
he spoke knowingly, as may appear
later, If the disposition to poke fun at
the conspiracy story continues.
II can be stated on the highest au-
thority that the first definite informa-
ton in regard to the alleged conspiracy
did not come to the president In the
form of an echo (hic) from the dinner
given by Senator Jonathan Bourne, OF
oregon. The senator who dubbed over
that evening and boasted of what
would be accomplished did not furnish
original evidence, but merely corrobo-
ratiye information that had been In the
presidents possession for at least two
months.
The first disclosure of the plan to
capture the republican nomination for
a reactionary was made at a gentle
mems poker game early in January.
One Of those who held a hand was q
very shrewd former senator. who Is
something cf politician himself, and
devoted friend of the president The
game lasted most OF the night, and at
the first suggestion of conspiracy to
reverse tile Roosevelt policies the
former senator pricked up his ears and
by sweetening literally and refusing to
call the other fellows hands he culti-
waited an era Of good feeling and grad
ually worned out the details of this
interesting program Of the reactionar-
les.
This farmer senator Is ready to stand
for the story whenever it becomes
necessary TO give the details OF the
poker game and what was said on that
occasion in furtherance Of the reaction
airy program. The president did not
jump at the, story like a bass seeking
fly. He was inclined at first to view
it with incredulity. Other information
came to him from various sources but
he filed it all away in pigeonhole and
thought the matter over. Even after
the bibulous senator at the Bourne din
ner had let himself out the president
sought further confederation by send
ing around the next day reliable man
to appeal from Philip drunk to Philip
sober" The firm insistence by the
laxative senator that what he said was
true convinced the president that there
was some foundation for the story.
Even then, he would probably not have
made the matter public but for the
Hartman incident.
Those who are disposed to sheer at
the stupendous figures given should
study the matter Of campaign funds
and then take into consideration the
Importance Of the interests involved.
1t has been demonstrated in past cam
paigns that where money was needed
to carry gout a conservative program
it was not lacking. The business in
terests. respond very readily under
stress of circumstances. For example,
wheh Mark Hanna was chairman OF
the republican national committee in
1895, he collected million dollars in
one evening in the Union League club
in New York city, about two weeks
before the election. He called out this
vast sum for campaign purposes on a
representa- ton that the country was in
danger of electing Bryan and bringing
about legislation for free silver coin
age at is to l.
Nobody knows definitely, outside of
three or four men, just what the
amount of the republican campaign
fund was in 1896. 1t is known, how
ever, that careful precautions were
taken at the close of the campaign to
cover up all traces of expenditures
made. Two men connected with the
republican committee in Chicago, now
quite prominent in the financial world,
took the books Of the national commit
tee and carried them into the base
ment of a building and burned them,
and after doing so, mutually agreed to
say nothing about the amount expend-
ed or the persons to whom it was paid.
The incident may afford food for
thought to persons who are disposed to
view the presidents $5,OO0,o0o con-
spiracy story as something fantastic
or impossible. The elements of con-
spiracy, of subterranean methods and
of clasped hands and accompanying
oaths of allegiance are not unknown
to the management of important cam
paigns in which conservative influences
are at work.
At the present time there appears to
be no particular necessity for going
into further details regarding the
$5,OOO,OOO conspiracy If it ever ex-
listed, either on a $5,Ooo,o00 basis. or
a smaller capitalization, it is now in
the hands of a receiver. The men gem
orally believed to have been most con-
cerned are rushing to the White House
to publicly renew their allegiance to
the president and his policies. Inc
administration, too, is somewhat ac-
tive. Whether the president is to be
a candidate for another term or is to
contribute what he can in a quiet way
to the nomination Of Some candidate
who represents his policies, it makes
little difference, apparently, as to final
results. for the administration cam
n. ofiSfa r. orilV and