The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-19
MAY RETIRE
OR HE MAY NOT
Friends Of the Secretary Deny
That He Has Practically De
cided to Drop Out.
nv WALrEn EDAYARD IIA1kRIs.

nY WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.
WASHINGTON, d. c.. June Is
Secretary Taft's friends deny that he
has practically decided to withdraw
from the race for the nomination to
the presidency. They Will deny 1t
much more strenuously In the very
near future, for the rumor Is going
to be repeated for some time to come.
1t is circulating now in a quiet way.
1t is being stated quite generally that
the big War Secretary is dsgusted. In
the first place, his health Is poor. lie
has been making determined efforts
for about three years to reduce his
flesh. Gluten biscuits is the chief
article of diet in the Taft household.
80 far as the head thereof is con-
cerncd. Those who have tried to live
on biscuits of gluten. moistened in
water, will not be surprised that he
has made up his mind to retire from
tho struggle for the presidency, or
that he has SURRENDERED most any am
bition.
Furthermore. there is a nasty fight
in progress In Mr.. Taft's own State.
Senator Foraker left here to-day for
Ohio, but before starting he made II
plain that he would contest every inch
OF ground against efforts to send TAFT
delegates to the Republican national
convention. It is admitted that the
delegation will be badly divided. The
Foraker people claim that they
Will control the majority of the dele
gates from the Buckeye State.
Further although the powerful In
flucnce Of the President has been be-
hind Secretary Taft from the first, the
progress of his campaign has not been
satisfactory. Every time q man has
said Taft somebody has shouted the
name OF some favoritc son, or that
OF Roosevelt. 1t has been demon
strated that the President could con.
troll almost any delegation in3the coun-
try II he wishes to be nominated him
self, but that he cannot swing any
delega ton he chooses to the support
Of such candidates. s he may select as
his successor. It Is said that the dis
approval Of the attempts of the Presi-
dent to name the man who is to sue
coed him has had about as much to do
with the determination of Secretary
Taft to get out OF the fight as any
other one thing has had.
The retirement Of Secretary Taft
would bring the country long step
nearer to the denomination of Theod-
ore Roosevelt. It Is not believed that
1.-the President would accept the nomi-
nation OF any one of the5Republican cam
QldatcS VINO #WOulQ DC Hlel H. liners 10 d
long distance between the brand OF
Republlcanism exemplihed by such q
man as Secretary Taft and that for
which Speaker Cannon, Vice President
Fairbanks. Philander c. Knox and
other ''reactionaries," so-called. stand
La Toilette holds beliefs somewhat
akin to those entertained by the Presi-
dent and Secretary Taft There have
been doubts cast upon the sincerity OF
the. Wisconsin Senator. especially since
the terms OF the bargain by which he
made Stephenson, the lumber trust
I,magnate, the successor of John c.
Spooner in the Senate, became public
There have never been doubts cast
Upon the personal or political honesty
of Secretary Taft.
| Whether he withdraws or becomes
the standard bearer OF the Republicans
| in the next national campaign, the
tribute of honesty Of purpose and
wholesouled devotion to tho duties OF
| his Office must be paid him. It is at
least an even chance that he will
withdraw from fight which was
never entirely to his taste. His ambi-
| ton lies In q direction opposite to the
White House. But Chief-Justice Full
Ter steadfastly refuses to lay aside the
ermine. Should he do SO tomorrow
there Is small doubt that President
Roosevelt would cast 1t upon the Shout
ders Of the Secretary Of War.
| Isl