Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-02
MAY Be SIGNIFICANT
Friendship of the President and
the Speaker.
LONG CONFERENCE TODAY
Representative Longworth Also Par
ticipant.
"a LITTLE PERSONAL ERRAND"
Comment of the Quidnuncs on the Re
lations of the Chief Executive and
the Illinois Leader.
A LITTLE PERSONAL ERRAND"

Uncle Joe Cannon and Mick" Long
worth, the Presidents son-in-law, spent at
least an hour with the chief executive to-
day. The impression of newspaper men
that the two were with the President
an hour and a half. The long conference
was not interrupted by other callers who
had been disposed of earlier in the day.
With his big cigar lit as he emerged from
the executive offices, the genial Speaker
said he had been with the President Ion a
little personal Grand. Representative
Longworth agreed with the Speaker, and
the two men went away together.
Men who have watched the relations of
the President and the Speaker of the House
are struck with the cordially and close
understanding of it all. Significance is at
tached, too, in view of the approaching
presidential year and the fight among the
republicans for the nomination.
A figure il it all, also, is the clever SON
in-law of the President. Longworth holds
the Speaker in high esteem, and their re-
lations are far above that of ordinary
friendship. At the New Year reception at
the White House yesterday the two men
were with each other nearly all the time.
The young Cincinnati. member and the
Speaker We're as chummy as two school
boys Now that their attachment is ex-
hibited in another wal, in which the Presi-
dent himself figures, significance may or
may not be attached to the matter.
The exceedingly close friendship, if not
alliance, between the President and Speaker
of the House did not escape attention in
the last session of Congress, when the
President was being harassed in his rate
legislation program by enemies in the Sem
ate and House. Uncle Joe was one of
the mainstays of the chief executive in
those memorable days. but his reticence
prevented much of his doings from becom-
ing public property. The resumption of
n hn
portance as a rate bill, is considered indie
ative of warm personal and political
friendship between the two men.
Could that friendship have weighty
bearing on the republican presidential NOM
inaton next year? Would not Speaker
Cannon be the logical man for the activities
of the President in behalf of his party?
The elimination of the President from that
great struggle as a candidate has at last
been accepted by the politicians lining up
for the fray. But nobody thinks that he
will not WELD tremendous influence in the
selection of his own successor, If so minded.
Events have occurred that lessen the
chances of Secretary Taft becoming the
nominee, politicians say. The President
would be quick to see that and with Taft
done for, Speaker Cannon is unquestion-
those talked Of for the honor. Vice Presi-
dent Fairbanks whose prospects are every
where regarded as having greatly bright
ened in the last year. is a warm, close
friend of the President, who entertains the
highest opinion Of him, but he probably
does not stand as close Speaker Cannon.
With the latter out, the Presidents friends
might turn to Fairbanks whose dignity,
tact and conservatism SO highly commend
him.