Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-05-12
CONSPIRACY EXPOSED.

CONSPIRACY EXPOSED.
Dubuque Times-Journal: Stephen
H. Bashor, of Waterloo, one OF the
progressive candidates for the nomi-
nation for United States senator,
has thrown bomb into the bull
moose camp through an open letter
in which he makes the charge that
he has been made the victim of
deep-rooted conspiracy in which
members of the progressive ana
democratic parties are taking part.
In his letter Mr. Bashor points out
that he became a candidate for SEN
ator only with the explicit under
standing that Casper Schenk, OF Des
Moines, was not to make the race.
He quotes letters to show that ne
was led to believe there would be
no opposition to him from within
the progressive party. His surprise
then may be imagined when ne
read the announcement that Mr..
Schenk had entered the race as a
candidate for the nomination. Mr..
Bashor charges that the entry OF
Mr.. schenk into the campaign was
brought about by the most ques-
tionable political methods and adds
that unless the progressive party
wants to be regarded as a party
controlled by bosses, Mr.. Schenk
must explain his belated entry into
the campaign.
So much for the row within the
ranks of the Iowa progressives.
There is another angle to Bashor's
letter, however, that should prove
interesting to the voters of Iowa.
Mr.. Bashor includes in his letter
quotation from letter he received
from Casper Schenk on March IA, in
which the latter stated:
Speaking candidly, it is my judg-
ment that, from tactical stand
point, it is vastly more important to
the party to defeat Mr.. Cummins
than to defeat Mr.. White, if we can
not defeat both. Mr.. Cummins is
not the representative of Mr..
Barnes.
1 would let the democrats come
in if they wish but would bend ev-
cry energy to get the republicans.
So long as the hypenated republic
cans last we will have slim shedding.
Commenting on Mr.. Schenk's let
ter, Mr.. Bashor writes:
The entire letter would make fine
reading, but the above quoted para
graph is enough to emphasize the
glazing fact that what Mr.. Schenk
really wants is candidate on the
progressive ticket who will let pro-
gressive democrats come "if they
WISH" but bend every effort to de-
feat Mr.. Cummins, for himself, if
he can, and if not for himself, by
standing as a stalking horse for the
democratic candidate.
That the recognized leaders of the
progressive party in Iowa are in
league with some of the leaders OF
the democratic party is apparent
from the tone of Schenk's letter and
his late entry into the campaign.
No other inference can be made; no
other conclusion can be drawn.
Mr.. Bashor's frank statement will
undoubtedly cut considerable figure
in the Iowa senatorial campaign.
He has publicly exposed condition
that many had previously surmised.
viz: That the pure and undefiled
champions Of the dear people are not
above political chicanery of the
worst.
That the democrats were flirting
with the progressives in the hope OF
weakening the strength of the re-
publican candidate at the fall cleo
ton has been quite evident from
the amount of solicitude manifested
by the democratic press of the state
concerning the nomination of pro-
gressive candidate for senator. Now
Mr.. Bashor has let the cat out of the
bag and he produces the documents
to prove his statements.
Statement of the Ownership, Man.
agement. Circulation. Etc.