New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-03
MR.. BURTON CONFIDENT.
SAYS T1FT'S LEAD GROWS.
Foraker Nay Drop Fight for In
dOrsement for Presidency.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau. !

Washington, May "a careful survey OF the
situation in Ohio has convinced the Taft lead
ers that their candidate has strong q lead
that ii is not improbable that Senator Foraker
may abandon his efforts TO secure the states
Endorsement for the Presidency and confine
himself TO the Senatorial race Representative
Burton one OF the stanchest Taft leaders dis
cussed the situation to-day.
Indications in Ohio are entirely favorable to
Secretary Taft" he said 1.-The trend of senu-
ment in his behalf may become manifest that
no primaries win be required At the same
time 1 still maintain that as long as there re-
mains the slightest doubt as to the choice of
the Republicans of the state it is desirable that
the primaries proposed originally by Senator
Foraker be held
1t is asserted by Mr.. Tafts friends that there
four factors which are making for his sue
cess. First there is his personal popularity and
the widespread confidence in his ability Sec
ond. there is the knowledge that Mr.. Taft is in
full sympathy with the Presidents policies, has
been a party to their formation and has done
much toward carrying them into effect, while
Senator Foraker has received all of President
RooseVelt's policies with wry face and in at
least thres important instances has voted
against them. Third. there is the general fear
of the local politicians that the Foraker Dick
machine will prove too heavy a load TO carry in
the local elections and, finally. there is the
knowledge that by supporting Mr.. Tart ONO
can send another of her distinguished sons 10
the White House. while a Foraker delegation
would mean only a complimentary vote for the
Senator and would ultimately make for the
success of the favcrite OF some other state.
The experience Of men who have opposed the
Presidents policies is declared TO offer little
encouragement. Ever since it became known
that Senator Penrose party to scheme
defeat those policies, he has found 1t neces-
sary to embrace every opportunity TO assert his
allegiance to the President and even at that his
supremacy in his state is threatened. Senator
Scott who has never been in sympathy with the
President or his style Of politics. has seen the
handwriting on the wall. and recently came 10
Washington and said to the newspaper men at
the White House: Put it in that the President
and I are the best OF friends" Senator Hans
brough who has hard fight for reelection Is
making capital by shouting for the President
and his policies all possible occasions. Sem
ator Long. of Kansas has declared for Roose-
Welt first and Taft second. and even in Indiana
one of the Senators is for Taft. If the President
cannot be induced to run again.
The fact that Senator Foraker proposed thai
primaries be held test the sentiment Of his
state and that he is reluctant to have
that programme carried out. is regarded by the
Taft men as indicating that the Senator, since
he returned TO his home. has come 10 appreciate
the extent Of the Secretarys strength. Repre-
Burton expects make public
regarding the situation this week and
will probably indicate the kind OF primaries
which the Taft leaders would like 10 have. Mr.
Burton will return to Ohio for q few days the
last of this week and he Will hold conference
with Mr.. Vorys, the TAFT manager, and prob
ably with other Taft leaders. although 1t is not
likely that he will make any political speeches
Secretary Taft has made no engagement to
speak on politics in Ohio before starting for the
Philippines on September /.