The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-12-24
POLITICS. IN It some CANNOT vOTE
Taft Too Busy to Talk
Such Stuff
But Many Callers, and Some OF Them
Political Leaders, Got His Private
Ear Yesterday.
CBy the Associated Press.l

Washington. d. c.. Dec. 21.-Secre-
tary Taft's first day at his desk since
his return TO the United States was
a busy one from beginning 10 end
He had a great number OF callers.
most Of the officials connected with
the War Department, but beside these
there was a umb Of persons whose
business could not reasonably be con
nected with that department Cuch
for instance as j. /. BristoW. OF KAN
SaS, at one time fourth assistant post
master general but now a very active
political influence in Kansas. Then
three was Representative Pearre, OF
Maryland.
Ex-senator Marion Butler. Of North
Carolina, and Justices Harlan and
Day, of the Supreme Court of the
United States: Senator'S Fulton. OF
oregon; McCreary. of Kentucky;
Representatives Long and Kansas and
Scott, OF Kansas, and Douglass, or
Ohio, also had access 10 the secre-
tary's private ear for a time. II
they TALKED politics, however, and
some of them admitted tina they lid,
notably General Bristow. the Secre--
terry himself was not to be led into n
discussion Of that subject with the
news aper men who wished him to
talk about it later. In fact. he said
to them very plainly that the theme
q a. - biAdCl III ct III
He admitted, however, that he had
authorized his private secretary to ac-
cept an invitation to attend the ban
quet Of the Home Market Club, of Bos-
ton, and address that body on the
night of the 30th instant. The topic
is to bit the Philippine Tariff and
might in one sense be regarded as po
litical in its relation to the American
tariff. though Secretary Taft will en-
deavOr to have the projected removal
of duties on Philippine products i'm
ported into America considered on a
n~On-partisan basis.
The Secretary stated that it might
be necessary for him to make a visit
to Cincinnati in the near future. But
that visit, he said. would be connect
ed with the settlement of the estate
of his recently deceased mother and
would be totally disconnected with
politics.
Col. Goethals, chief engineer of the
Panama Canal, ex-senator j. c.. S.
Blackburn, a.member of the Panama
Canal commission in charge of the
civil administration of the Zone, and
Mr.. r. r. Rogers. the law officer Of
the commission, talked with Secretary
Taft about the affairs on the 18th
mus. The secretary has yet to sub
nit to Congress his annua report,
n of the most important chapters
of which will dea with the Cana
construction. He very much desires
to make a personal visit to the 18th
mus to get the information he needs
at first hand, but owing TO the vast
accumulation of business awaiting his
disposition he could not promise to
make the trip before next
Meanwhile he was supplied with such
information as he desired relative to
Canal work by the three officials con
nected with the project, who called
upon him today.
The secretary found time during
the day to repair to the White House
and consult with the President briefly
about the situation in Goldfield, Ne
vada, the result of his visit being
the issue of an order to the com
mander of the department of Califor-
MIA providing for the formal execu-
ton of the decision of the President
announced in his telegram to Cover
nor Sparks, to withdraw the regular
troops from Goldfield on the 30th
inst.
Arthur r.-orys. the political manager
for Secretary Taft, is expected in
Washington tomorrow and the Score
tary will have an opportunity to con-
fer with him respecting the politi-
cal situation.