Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-12-16
MAY QUIT
ROOSEVELT
CABINET
RESIGNATION EXPECTED
WITHIN SHORT TIME
Secretary'S Friends Seriously
Doubt Sincerity of Admins
tration's Advocacy of Their
Candidate For Presidency.

Washington, Dec. 15.-ThS state
ment was made several weeks ago ny
friends of Secretary of War Taft that
he would resign from the ca binet soon
after the beginning of the year in or
der to better prosecute his quest for
the presidency. There was no intinI-
alton then that there was any dissat-
isfaction on his part with the course
OF the president or his cabinet or
flcers with respect to the campaign
for next years nomination.
Now we are told hat his resigna-
ton is likely to come 500 after he
reaches Washington from his trip
around the world, and that il viii be
prompted by dissatisfaction. The
story mas ii that he was persuaded.
against his personal inclination, to
become a candidate for president;
that it was President Roosevelt who
persuaded him, and that the means
of persuasion consisted of a promise
that he should nave the support af
the president and Of the administra
ton. Instead of receiving this sup
port, the narrative runs, Mr.. Taft's
friends are very much in doubt as to
Mr.. Roosevelt's intentions, and some
of the administrations most potent
agencies are being employed against
the war secretary.
One of the specific grievances IL
said to be the allegation that Secre-
tary of the Treasury Corelyou is
flirting himself with the nomination
and that First Assistant Postmaster
General Hitchcock, Mr.. C~ortelyou's
first lieutenant in politics, Is using his
position to humble Taft and advance
Cortelyou. 1t is sa1leged that takins
the national convention TO Chicago
was an anti-Taft 10Y engineered
argely by Hitchcock. with the advice
anA nugnp HAf INnrtn1NrnfN aud TINT
the Taft managers have found ii i'm
possible to make any Roadway in the
south because of the activities of Mr..
Hitchcock.
Some of Mr.. Taft's managers do not
hesitate to charge bad faith, and, In
private conversation, to blame the
president for failure of the Taft boom
to make the progress that was eX-
pccted of it. Whether Mr.. Taft shares
in this resentment there Is no way
now to determine. The chances are
that as soon as he strikes Washington
he will hurry Ia n White House Tor
y heart-to-hcart talk with the presi-
dent, and it Is not at all improbable
that when he sees Mr.. Roosevelt per-
sonally he viii be able to learn SONS
things which his managers have tried
10 earn without success.
The opinion that Mr.. Roosevelt is
ready to throw TAFT has been
heard frequently OF tate. but the Prev
alcncc Of hat opinion Is by no means
general. So well known an au-
thority as Walter Wellman declares
the belief tina the president will use
his utmost endeavOr to bring abou.
I~n0mination; y he cannot sue
coed N this. Mr.. Wellman believes,
Roosevelt will take the &omina-
ton himself.
Mr.. Cortelyou. as a candidate for
the presidency. is I'm as unfortunate
a situa ton i'm his home state as Is
Mr.. Taft. II would hardly be possible
him to secure a solid delegation
New York, and whatever delega-
ton he got he would have to fight for.
and fight hard. The friends of Gov-
ernor Hughes are earnestly pushing
candidacy and as they were early
in the field they have corralled a lot
oC support that might have gone to
C%ortelyou had he been an avoWed or
even a receptive candidate.