New-York tribune., 1907-11-21
PRESIDENT CHECKS
THIRD TERN BOOM Frs.
ORDER GIVEN TO FEDERAL
OFFICEHOLDERS.
They Are Forbidden to U'Ork for
Wr. ROOSeUeIt's denomination
Under Penalty of Dismissal.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau !

Washington. Nov. 20.-The President has def
nitely and absolutely prohibited all federal
oficeholders from promoting the third term
boom. The word has been passed from the
President 10 members of the Cabinet and from
them TO the other federal officials that office
holders must not promote third term sentiment
No federal of1ceholder may permit himself to
be elected delegate and at the same time in
structed for Mr. Roosevelt. nor must he
vote 10 instruct delegates for the President. In
brief. the President is determined that nothing
shall be done to promote any movement for his
denomination in the next national convention by
federal ofhceholders. and, while threats
being made. it is well understood that dismissal
will follow violation of his wishes in this matter
Rumors TO this effect have been current In
Washington for several DAYS, but not until to-
day could it be ascertained on grounds suffi-
ciently trustworthy to permit the statement to
be made without qualification. 1t appears that
a number of Senator'S and Representatives who
have recently arrived in Washington have in
formed the President that their efforts on be
half of Secretary Taft and possibly other can
ddates were being thwarted by the promotion
of third term sentiment by federal officials. and
Frank H. Hitchcock. First Assistant Postmaster
General was cited as of the worst offend
ers in this respect.
That has got to be stopped ana stopped
mighty suddenly the President is reported 70
have told certain Senator and the result was
the order to all members of the Cabinet to check
the course Of their subordinates at once Mr.
Hitchcock was sent for and had brief confer
ence with the President to-day. but he declined
to say anything regarding its purport.
The news began day before yesterday 10 sift
out from the men who had talked with the
President Yesterday the report gained wider
circulation but in some instances came in a
mangled form from men who are determined To
disregard the Presidents wishes To-day IL
was confirmed by men who had talked with the
President and whose word is unimpeachable.
although silence on the subject is still preserved
at the White House.
The President has in the opinion OF some
observers of political events. pursued a course
analogous to that which he adopted at the
Philadelphia convention. when he was earnestly
seeking to prevent Senator Platt and other New
Workers from putting him ION the shelf II
will be remembered that the New York delega-
ton then determined to indorse him for
Vice president but he sat with the delegation
all night insisting that it should not indorse
him without his consent. and refusing 10 give
that consent so that il finally became necessary
TO ndorse Timothy l. Woodruff for Vice-Presi-
dent.
1t is further pointed out that Mr. Roosevelt is
determined that the mex Republican national
convention shall not in any respect he a repeSa-
ton of that of 1892. when large number % the
delegates were federal offcehoIders instru.ted
for Harrison for second term. The President
has no objection whatever to federal OfiCehOSd-
ers attending the national convention dele
gates. long they are not tstructed to vote
for him and will not exert their influence for
his denomination In fact. TO delegates who
are amenable TO his influence. it may be case
of the more the merrier."
The fact that the first delegates to be legally
Observation-Disclosures from Alaska. where the Presi-
dents influence is all powerful-are for Ta-,.
together with the fact that the President de-
cided on this step after listening TO the repre-
sentations Of an ardent Taft advocate-a Sena-
tor who comes from state which has already
indorsed the Secretary of War-is regarded as
highly significant as is the further statement OF
one of the Presidents callers that. when asked
If he did not deem II advisable at this time TO
reiterate his election night declaration, that
under no circumstances would he accept an
other nomination. the President remarked:
Il have not noticed that the demand that
reiterate that statement at this time enanates
from the friends Of Secretary Taft"
For the present no letters will be written by
the President or his secretary regarding his
wishes as affecting federal Oficeholders- But
the information will be impaired TO them orally.
from their superiors. The Tennessee cOnven-
tion has. perhaps. gone too far TO permit the
President to prevent the delegation being in
structed for him. but the Alabama delegation.
which stands first on the rollcan OF the conven-
tion the Arkansas and Florida delegations.
which stand high on the list; the Georgia. and
probably the Carolina delegates. while they
likely to act in accordance with the Presidents
wishes, will not cast their ballot for TheodOrs
Roosevelt