Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-14
TAFT IN TOWN AGAIN
But He's to Stay a Mighty
Little While
AND is AS BUSY AS A BEE
Intends to Dispose of Tucker Charges
Before Sunday.
PLANS FOR A LONG TRIP
Secretary May Settle Conduit Road
Glen Echo Dispute Before
He Goes Away.
PLANS FOR A LONG TR1I

Secretary Taft returned to Washington
this morning from his vacation Of about
a month spent at Murray Bay, Canada.
He went early to the War Department.
reaching his Office before : o'clock, and at
once plunged into the great mass OF work
needing his attention. The Secretary has
considerable to do between now and Sun
day, when he against leaves the city on
his western trip, which is to end In
Seattle where Mr.. Taft Is to embark for
the Philippines. The most important mat
ter on hand Is that Of preparing his annual
report and the estimates of appropria-
lions for the War Department for the next
fiscal year, which he is anxious to finish
I'D before again leaving the city. He de-
MED himself to all callers this morning
except War Department officials.
Secretary Taft spent some time during the
forenoon revising the proofs of the speech
which he expects TO deliver next Monday
night before the Buckeye Republican Club
at Columbus. Ohio. 1t Is expected that In
this speech he will sound the keynote of
the next republican campaign. 1t Is true
that he nnodestly disclaimed such an inten-
tion-probablv because he felt that in his
present position be was not formally au-
thorized to pose as the party champion
but he did admit that he had few
thoughts on topics of interest of the
American people which he would set out
in this Columbus speech.
Among other things, for instance, he
would have something to say about the
Brownsville episode. He had not yet been
able to plan the other speeches which he
expected to deliver at various points on
his way to the Pacific coast.
Nothing About Finance.
The Secretary was reminded that as re-
suit of his conference with the President
at Oyster Bay yesterday 1t was expected
that he would deliver some statement rela-
tive to the present financial condition of
the country that would have reassurlng
effect upon the present perturbed stock
market He responded that he was not au-
thorized to make any such statement, and
he added that financial conditions were not
q snhiect of discussion between the Presi-
dent and himself yesterday.
Secretary Taft said that lie intended to
tispose of several matters OF accumulated
business before ne left Washington next
sunday night. Among them he hoped to
act ppon the Tucker case, involving charges
lodged In the War Department by Mrs.
Tucker against her husband Col. Tucker OF
the pay corps. - c,
the effect that jurisdiction over the Conduit
road is vested solely in the war Depart
ment also appears to require some action
on the secretary's part, in view of the con-
tinuance of the conditions Oh that road
which led tn the original complaints by
automobilists against the local authorities
OF Glen Echo.
Secretary Taft said he also intended TO
cast his eye over the annual reports OF the
army department commanders, which are
beginning to reach Washington, in order to
make sure before their publication that they
do not contain controversial matter, as was
a
handing the Department of the Lakes, and
some of the officers of the Quartermaster' s
department became involved IN dispute
deprecated by the Secretary OF War, and
tlal.