The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-06
The President May Notbe
Able to Have Republi-
cans Nominate Taft.
NO GROUND FOR
THIRD.TERM TALK
Warm Contest for Leadership, i'll
View OF Roosevelt's Deterni-
nation to 12etire-slemp to
Dominate Republican
Convention in
Virginia.
ny WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.

Df WAITIGR EDWARD HARRIS.
WASHINGTON, d. c.. May b.-There
Is nothing in the talk of President
Roosevelt's being n candidate for the
nomination next year. While 1t is not
decided that the President Will issue
statement reiterating his determine
tion not TO accept another nomination,
since to do so would, In his opinion,
be undignified, in view OF his unequiyo-
cal declaration on the subject on the
night OF his election in 1904. recent
callers at tho White House agree that
the President Is just as firm as ever
in his determination not to go before
the nation again as candidate for
the presidency. A few weeks ago he
appeared to have weakened
1t appears to be absolutely true to-
day that the mind OF the Presidcn!
IS made up irrevocably not to accept
second nomination.
There Is equally good authority Tor
the statement that President Roosevelt
is doing. and viii continue to do. all
in his power to bring about the nomi-
nation of William II. Taft The fact
that the administration IL advocating
the nomination OF Secretary Tart is
scarcely concealed. The other fact that
this direct advocacy OF Judge TAFT Is
not to the liking OF certain others
connected with the administration is
not so apparent, but Is discoYerabie
with little effort
Cortelyou's Machine.
George B. Cortelyou is az aspirant
For the nomination. His name as a
candidate, does not appear in Stint with
r,uch frequency, but there can be no
question that, while he was at the
head OF the Post-Ofiice Department.
cnd since he has been Secretary OF the
Treasury. he has been looking after
his fences everywhere, and building
up a machine wherever Il has been
possible to make any Roadway In this
direction. Recent developments In Tell
nessee indicate clearly the tactics being
pursued by Mr.. Cortelyou through First
Assistant Postmit ter-Gencral Hitch
cock, his closest friend. who served
under him in the Department of Com
merce and Labor. who went with him to
the Postofice Department. and who.
81 IL understood, IS soon to follow, him
to the Treasury Department Repre-
sentative Brownlow, who has complete
control of the Republican Organization
In Tennessee, and Is for Roosevelt for
u third term, II he will accept, and for
TAFT as second choice. is being turned
nc wn on all his recommendations for
pcst-oftice appointments in Tennessee,
and the Congressrlan's recommenda-
rions for appointments under the Treas
Try Department, such as in the inter
iial revenue service, are disregarded
end the people recommended by Newell
Sanders and other Tennessee Republi-
cans, who are opposed to the nomina-
ton Of Secretary Taft. get the places
Other evidences of the activity of Mr..
C'nrfalyni1 oil 81.
building up machine to be used in
terminating him to the presidency could
te given.
OF course. the President might be
nominated by the Republicans. But a
man who spent some time with him q
q few days ago is authority for the
statement to-day, that Mr.. Roosevelt,
said In discussing the possibility of his
receiving the nomination, used these
emphatic words:
The Final Word.
III 1 am nominated the convention
Will have to reassemble and nominate
some other candidate. 1 would not ac-
cept. no matter how the nomination
came to me-
The significance OF so many Republic
cans OF prominence declaring for q
third term of late may have been over
rated. PROBABLY they were only trying
TO stand in we'll at the White House
where there are plums handed out
every day by tho President as we'll as
lemons by Secretary Loeb. Certainly
no harm will have been done to those
who have made the declaration in favor
of another nomination for Mr.. Roose.
welt. But the fact should not be over.
looked that not all those who hny.
declared for the President for anothe,
term will be for Secretary Taft If Mr.
Roosevelt should positively refuse tc
accept the nomination. And this sug.
gests that while he will not accept the
nomination himself, though he could
have 1t, he may not be able to name
the man who will receive 1t.
"Where Do I Stand?" Slemp.
That Representative Slemp will DOM
mate the next Republican State Con-
vention seems now to be foregone
conclusion. The Agnew- Bowden fac
ton has lost all interest In politics
and Mr. Agnew, who has hitherto been
the life of the opposition to the Slemp
regime, declares that SO far as he is
concerned Mr.. Slemp can run the con-
yention to suit himself. Fills state
mont recently that the Republican par
ty In Virginia to-day is composed
of the Ninth District and the Federal
ofllceholders, about sizes up the situa-
ton. He says that there are not
enough Republicans left outside of the
Ninth District for a corporal's guard