The San Francisco call., 1907-03-17
Governor Gives No Prom
ise, but Will Con-
slider Matter
CONTEST OVER OHIO
Garfield and Burton Asked
to Wrest That State
From Foraker

WASHINGTON, March 16.-It
was supposed that Governor Deneen
and Attorney General Stead of Illi-
nois had been called to Washington
to confer with the President in regard
to railroad conditions, with a view to
harmonizing State and national action.
But the conference today was entirely
political in its nature. Its object was
to pave the way for a solid Illinois
delegation for William H. Taft for
President.
This startling statement was made
by Governor Deneen himself to sew
eral intimate friends after the con-
ference. He was surprised when he
learned that the talk was to be politi-
CAL The invitation merely mentioned
the fact that the President wished to
talk over certain matter" with him,
but the invitation to Attorney General
stead caused both Illinoisans to believe
that the talk would relate to the rail-
roads.
Secretary Taft and his brother,
Charles H. Taft, were present during
the conference, which lasted an hour.
After a brief talk on the railroad sit
uation, which was general in its ma
ture, the President broached the po-
IiticaI subject. and the rest of the con-
ference dealt with Presidential possi-
bilities exclusively. It had been an
nounced that statement would be
given out after the conference, but
at a late hour Secretary Loeb said that
nothing was to be given to the public.
DENEEN Is CONSIDERING
Loeb declined to tell even what
had been discussed, but admitted that
it was neither railroads nor finance.
AS the evening wore on Governor
Deneeh and Attorney General Stead
cautiously unfolded to few friends
the drift of the talk. Inquiry was
hastily made by a score of CORE
spondents in different directions. 1T
was developed that a Taft boom had
been planned and that the time of its
launching was not far distant.
A Cabinet officer said: From now
on the name of Taft is likely to be
heard mighty often in connection with
the Presidency" He said he did not
know the subject of the conference
this afternoon, but led his newspaper
friends to believe that he had been
expecting the launching of the Taft
boom.
The outcome of the conference was
not made plain to any of Governor
Deneens friends. 1t is gathered that
he has taken the matter under consid-
GRAFTON and will make up his mind in
due time whether to join forces with
Secretary Taft's friends in the effort
to capture the Illinois delegation for
the Ohioan. The force of the Presi-
dents personality, it is admitted. will
be immense if he comes out openly for
Taft. Everybody in washington
knows. of course, that Taft is Roose-
velt's choice for President, but moth
ing of really tangible nature has
ever come before from the President
to indicate that he was actively at
work
Roosevelt is in close touch with Rep |
resentative Burton of Ohio, who. with
James r. Garfield. will have the lions |
share of the work of wrestling Ohio
from Foraker and turning it over to
Taft at the proper time. Burton who /
has just been made chairman of the
Waterways Commission, is ardently in
favor of Taft for President He and
Taft will go to Panama together at the
end of this month. and during their
long trip will talk over the political /
situation thoroughly.
CANNON is A FACTOR
Governor Deneen has been spoken of
as a Vice Presidential possibility He
said tonight that he knew better than
that. Some of his friends suggested
that he might come out for the office
and hold the Illinois delegation to-
gether as a favorite son until the time
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