The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-12-14
THE ATTENDANTS INFLUENCE.

The Washington correspondents continue to send to their newspapers the gossip which has been caused by the renouncement of presidential as- pirations on the part of MT. Roose- welt. They are in substantial agree- ment that his motive fin making his position known was political one, It has been their understanding that he would make some announcement of his attitude upon the return of Secretary Taft from his trip around the world It is now their understand ing that President Roosevelt conclud- ed that he could best aid MT. Taft and discourage the ambition of Secretary Cortelyou by delaying his statement no longer.
 Only those in the game can under stand what all this means Why it was necessary to anl:cipate the return of Mir. Taft, which is merely ques- ton of hours, by the announcement, MT. Roosevelt of course knows, but the country at large cannot possibly know unless he tells it, which of course he will not do. The effect upon his own masterly leadership. the correspond ents agree, is damaging, The able cor respondent of the Springfield Republi- can, who is one of the shrewdest and i best informed of the Washington press writers, puts it this way. "A free field with the Influence of Mir, Roosevelt q steadily diminishing factor He then goes on to sgy; 'The Taft partlsans profess to believe that the war secre- tary's chances have Immediately and immensely improved But those who judge internationally do not agree. To them 1t Is now simply q case of each man on his own merits Taft, Hughes, Cannon, Knox and Fairbanks. Not only is Mir. Roosevelt's influence over the situation expected to decrease, but there arc some who expect him to voluntarily withdraw from the cam paign to pick tho man and devote him. self solely to the campaign for the pletform This does not Imply a deser- ton of Taet, to whom the Presidents favor has been given, but a stepping { of the course into the ranks of the partisan spectators. The question as tc Taft ia whether he could make moro of an impression while running hi1 own race than he has hitherto made es a led horse
 This view opens up two interesting and suggestive possibilities. either ono of which would receive the favor O thoughtful persons, The first is tha having lost control of one end of tn, presidential situation, there is danger of the President losing control of tn, other end, which would eliminate hin altogether from the situation as practical force in it's final adjustment It is to be deyoutly hoped that Uni will prove to be the case. The bes thing that could happen now to Pres ident Roosevelt would be to have cir cumstances so shape themselves as t make him disappear from what h
 has undertaken to make personall bconducted tour to and through the Re publican nominating convention. Tn more the American people hay thought about it, the less have the liked to see him engaged in any sucl . enterprise. If now practical consider -ations work to eliminate him iron the preliminary skirmishes the peo pie will be grateful, put not more fo themselves than for him, As for tn attitude of Secretary Taft there is al ready substantial agreement that hi chances are being injured by the gen
 erous elimination of his own person
 ality to please his political chief, an
 by his sticking to post in Me cabine
 In brief, if the wheels have been SC ing around in such a lively manne
 since the politicians reached Wash t ington that the retirement of the Pres t ident from active political manage ment accompanies the retirement (
 Secretary Taft from the cabinet, ther
 win be many to rejoice. With both rt
 lieved of the embarrassing situation
 would soon be in order to regard M
 Taft more seriously and gratefully as
 presidential quantity.