Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-23
TAFT'S WORD AWAITED
Politicians Specializing on the
Secretary's Course.
INFERENCE AS TO CANNON
Denied That He Has Withdrawn in
Favor of Fairbanks.
INFERENCE AS TO CANNON
THE INDIANAPOLIS CONFERENCE
Private Views Of Republicans Regard
ing Another Term for Roosevelt
Senator Bourne's Statement.

The presidential political pot is bubbling
and boiling at great rate. Secretary
Taft's arrival will probably add another
chunk of fuel and tomorrow a lot of con-
gressmen bound for the jamestown EXPOSE
ton will come busting in with their little
bundles to help along the cracking. About
this time, too, look out for the enthusiastic
Roosevelt rooter from the west, who can
not see anything ahead but the third term
The main interest centers about Secre-
tary Taft. What is he going to do? Will
he permit himself to be sacrificed to Roose-
velts hatred of Foraker, and draw upon
himself the concentrated fire Of all other
candidates by posing as the one whom the
President has designated as his successor?
Or will he refuse the stack Of chips handed
out by the White House and play his hand
on his own resources? The politicians are
looking for Secretary Taft to take de-
cided stand, one way or the other, pretty
soon.
When the announcement was trumpeted
forth that Secretary Taft was President
Roosevelts choice for the presidency the
unanimous verdict was that his prospects
for the presidency had thereby been seri-
ously injured, for although it is generally
admitted that President Roosevelt can have
the nomination If he will take 1t, the be-
lief is also as widespread that the country
is not ready to allow President Roosevelt
to entail the nomination. Consequently,
the prospective heir would be the common
enemy of all other candidates, whose first
duty would be to unite to prevent this
handing down of the nomination as
family heirloom, before settling their own
claims to the prize among one another.
The politicians told one another that the
President was just trying to con" the
Secretary for his own purposes in the
effort to destroy Foraker and that this
Endorsement of Taft was only to enable
Taft to carry Ohio against Foraker and
Dick. What Mr.. Taft was to do with
Ohio after he carried it the politicians
failed to see, but that didn't worry the
President, they thought. But they contin
ually asked whether Secretary Taft would
allow his prospects for the presidency to
be handicapped in that way, and if he
did not want to stand for it how could he
help himself
The Indianapolis Conference.
Some interest was attracted today to a
dispatch from Indianapolis telling of con-
ference in that city Of Mr.. Cannon, Vice
President Fairbanks, Senator Hemenway,
Representative Watson and other hoosier
state politicians, the inference being drawn
that a community of interest was being
established between Cannon and Fairbanks
in behalf of the latter. That inference in
wolves the assumption that the Speaker is
entirely out of the race and Is to throw his
strength to Fairbanks.
Well-posted Illinois men in Washington
said today that it Is altogether too early
to jump to the conclusion that Mr.. Can
non Is "out Of it, They said that If 1t
should fall out that there was unanimous
demand for Roosevelt of course Mr.. Can
non would be out of it along with all the
others. but with Roosevelt eliminated and
free-for-all race. Mr.. Cannon would be
very much in It,, or they are nightly mis-
taken.
1t is a noteworthy fact that Mr.. Fair
hanks managers, Hemenway and Jim
Watson, are also Mr.. Cannons closest
friends in Congress. Indiana and Illinois.
through natural political propinquity, would
be likely to stand together after q friendly
contest for favorite son. and the politicians
look to see Mr.. Cannon and Mr.. Fairbanks
with their heads together pretty frequently
from now on. But yesterdays conference
may have been only incidental, as Mr.. Can