The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-29

and throughout the country
This statement may be accepted as au-
thoritative. It is made by the Cleveland
Leader to-day, through a dispatch from
| its Washington correspondent. Mr.. c. S.
/ Watts, and is intended definitely to ac-
quaint Ohio Republicans with the Secre-
tary's sentiments as TO the Presidency in
order that they may be up and doing.
Another important political development
| Of the day is the fact that the Hanna
Old Guard. according to reliable informa-
ton, has captured the Republican organ
| ization in the South. if not in other sec
tions OF the country, and is pushing its
plans to nominate conservative man Cor
President as against a man Of the ROose-
welt type. or n man Of Rooseyelt's choos-
Ing. Secretary Taft is popularity sup
posed to belong 10 the latter class
The Cleveland Leader correspondent,
after the statement already quoted. says:
Stands for RoOseyeIf Policies.
IF any considerable element Of the Re
publicans Of Ohio and or the entire coun-
try looks to Secretary Taft as the man
best qualified and most available 10 per-
petuate and execute the administrative
policies Of President RooseveIt-if the
crystallization of the party sentiment
within the next few months points 10
Secretary Taft as the logical leader IN the
next great national struggle-then the
Secretary viii be a candidate
Furthermore. his friends in Ohio. IN
/ Kentucky. in Minnesota, and in Southern
and Western States have been told TO
take such steps as they may deem neces-
| sary to determine how formidable a fol-
| lowing it Will be possible to rally under
the Taft banner.
Secretary Taft has been read in and
out OF the Presidential race time and
again within the past twelve months. but
/ the Leader is now able TO make an accu-
rate statement as to his attitude Mr..
/ Taft is not an active or aggressive aspir-
ant for the Presidency. On the contrary,
/ il has been with considerable reluctance
/ that he has consented to place himself in
the hands Of his friends as tentative
candidate. Mr.. Tafts ambitions lie in an
other direction-judiciaI honors are more
! to his liking than even the most exalted
political attainments-and if the opportu-
nifty of going upon the bench of the Su-
be presented to him again little later, he
would be troubled sorely to decide what
TO do.
In fact, if NIr Taft could have eight
years Of the Presidency or the position Of
Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court by
simply turning his hand one way or the
other. he would take the Chief Justice
ship without a moments hesitation.
Ready to Respond To Demand
However, Secretary Taft is not in
sensible to the exalted honors and op-
portunities for great public service that
lie In the Presidency. nor is he unmindful
of the high compliment that has been
paid him by the suggestion that he should
stand for the nomination and election
as Mr.. RoOseveIts successor He would
not be the normally constituted. frank,
straightforward man that he is, If the
possibility Of attaining the highest Office
within the gift of the American people
did not appeal 10 him. and if he did not
respond to the demand that his friends
are making that preliminary moves be
made looking to the presentation Of his
name TO the Republican National Con-
ventiOn two years hence.
That there is such demand cannot be
gainsaid. and will not be denied even by
the most loyal adnerents Of other Repub-
licans Of national stature who are active
or prospective Presidential candidates.
Mr. Taft is very widely regarded as the
man best qualified in every respect TO
carry on the administrative policies that
President Roosevelt has instituted. He
is looked to as the man who stands dis
tinctively for those things that have so
popularized the Roosevelt regime, and IL
is almost generally accepted that If the
country desires TO stand by Roosevelt
in 1905 it could be given no more fitting
opportunity to express that desire than
would be found in the oportunity to elect
Secretary Taft as President RoOsevelt's
successor.
1T goes without saying to those who
are at all informed regarding national
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