The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-30
HEARS MUCH POLITICS.
President RooseveIts First Day in
Washington a Busy One.

Washington a Busy One.
Washington, July 3o.-Considera-
ton of political conditions in several
states, a discussion which his cabinet
ADVISED regarding the beef strike and
attendance at meeting of the cab
met made the first day of President
Roosevelt's return from Oyster Bay a
busy one. While the president is much
interested in the Chicago strike, both
as a candidate for Office and as a
public official with the interests of
the people at heart, yet, according to
cided to take any hand in the affair
unless future developments warrant
AT 8 o'clock in the afternoon Paul
Morton, secretary of the navy. called
at the White House by appointment
A few minutes later Victor Metcalf,
secretary of commerce and labor,
arrived and was ushered into the
lowed by Attorney General Moody,
who carried a formidable bundle of
documents in his hands, and Joined
his colleagues and the president.
The discussion of the strike and the
beef trust occupied some time and
the situation was canvassed very
thoroughly. Secretary Metcalf sub
mitted the evidence gathered by the
agents of his department showing that
the beef trust was disregarding the
injunction of the United States court.
Attorney General Moody has re-
Gently collected a large number of
ject of injunctions as a guide to the
administration If it should begin
action against the packers. These
were submitted at the conference.
Secretary Morton was brought into
the conference because of his knowl-
edge of the situation in Chicago, and
of the packing business. He was able
to contribute some general informa-
Cd
the conclusion of the meeting it was
learned that no decision was reached
as to a course of action, but that
the president will be guided by de-
velopments.
The cabinet officials who have been
working on the beef trust case will
continue to gather evidence and pre-
pare for litigation If it should be de-
cided upon. Senators Cullom and
Hopkins of Illinois will meet the pres
ident and discuss with him in detail
the Chicago strike in it's political
aspects.
From three states that are Of es-
pecial Importance in this campaign
the most encouraging reports We're
brought to President Roosevelt. They
are West Virginia, Illinois, and Yer
mont, all of them Republican states
and likely to remain so. Representa-
tive B. B. Dovener of West Virginia
called at the White House to assure
the president that the talk INDUCED
in by the Democrats to the effect that
his state would get over into the Dem
ocratic column this fall was ground
less. He assured the president that
the majority of the people of West
Virginia were Republicans in princi-
pie, and that the fact that a promi-
nent citizen of the state had
been made vice presidential candidate
for the Democratic party would make
no difference to them. President
Roosevelt was pleased to hear the re-
mort of Canfai1 nOVRnQr and aKDreRg0d
interest in the situation in that state.
'I told the president that this talk
of West Virginia going Democratic
was all heard outside of the state,''
said Captain Dovener when he
emerged from the presidents office,
land that none of it was heard down
in the state. We are going to keep
West Virginia in line and the fact that
Mr.. Davis is on the Democratic ticket
will not be sufficient to change the
result
Senators Cullom and Hopkins of IL
linoiS called by appointment to discuss
Illinois politics with the president.
They were interrupted by several
members of the cabinet who wished
to transact some important business
and made an engag cement to call and
talk over the situation in detail. Both
of them told the president, however,
that they did not believe the beef
strike would have a damaging effect
on the Republican ticket. They were
over and they did not think it has
endangered Republican success in that
state. AS to factionalism, they say
there is nothing to fear from, that
er factions that fought so hard in the
state convention have become recon-
ciled to the outcome of the contest and
will work and vote for the
ticket this fall.
Vermont is of particular impor-
lance in this campaign only as a
barometer. 1t is a Republican state
and there is no danger whatever of
Roosevelt losing it, But the state
election there is held two months
ahead of the general election and it is
a superstition very generally accepted
that plurality of $4,000 is the dan
ger line for the Republicans. If the
state ticket is elected by less than
$4,000 then there is a strong prob
ability of the Democratic ticket win
ming at the national election two
months later. But if the $4,000 mark
is reached or passed it can be taken
as sure indication that the country
will go Republican. This belief is
sustained by statistics for many years
back.
Senator Proctor was a caller at the
that when the Republiancs of Yer
mont went to the polls to vote for
their state candidates on September
6, they proposed to roll up a majority
sufficient to assure him of success in
They believe they can get
far above the 25,0 900 mark. The cam
paign will open soon and it will be a
hummer from start to finish. The
secretary of agriculture, Mr.. Wilson,
ard Speaker Cannon are booked for
to have Senator Spooner and other big
guns of the Republican party take
the stump there.