The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-03-19
PRESIDENT WANTS TO CONTROL
CONVENTION TO FORCE
TAFT'S NOMINATION.
HAVE A FEAR OF BRYAN
The Chief Executive Believing No Re.
actonist Can Beat the Me-
braskan---Has Mo Third
Term Idea.

/
lis daily becoming more manifest that
| President Roosevelt i9 tightening his
g;ip on the reins of his party with 2
view TO making Secretary Taft the
nominee of the next Republican ma
tional cony ntion for president, and
whatever encouragement by his ST.
| those who are showerng upon him
compliment in this connection it Is
| believed in inner political circles, 10
be nothing more nor less than a secret
part of the programme to get natterS
so firmly griped as to enable Mr..
| Roosevelt To dictate the nomination of
Mr. Taft.
The number CT reputed wise Repub-
lican politicians who see an "ineyita-
BILE drift" toward the nomination OF
Mr.. Roosevelt in 1908 grows smaller
as recruits ara added 10 the Taft side
Of the contest. 1t is not doubted that
the president could have himself made
the choice of the next Republican ma
tional convention, but he will not al
low himself to be made an instrument
for the breaking of the no-third term
precedent.
Would Control Convention,
But what Mr.. Roosevelt will do, and
is believed now to be encouraging. IL
10 control the convention which will
name his successor In this Is to Ee
found the crux of the political situa-
ton as regards MIR. Roosevelt and the
third term idea.
Undoubtedly, from the presidents
view point, the next presidential con-
test and the railroad situation are
identical and for this reason alone he
desires to put himself in position to
name the Republican candidate for
president. Mr.. Roosevelt feels that il
the reforms for which he is battling
with all the might and power Of his
official position, amount to anything
in the future he must see to 1t that a
man succeeds him in the White House
who will uphold and continu. the
work which has brought him so mitch
in the way of glory and rsnown. 9th
erwise he will have labored in vain.
What is OF the keenest concern 10
the president is that no reactioaist.
such as Senator Foraker or Fairbanks
gets at the head of the nation. Hence
his sollcitude for Secretary Taft in
whom the president sees man after
his own heart.
Certainly the air is full Of Roosevelt
third term talk, and the president,
desirous of getting control of the Re
publican national convention, Is bow
ing and smiling and saying nice things
10 every one that brings the delecta-
BILE q ssip to his ears, but grossly de-
ceived is that man who believes.
that Mr. Roosevelt is thus taking gra-
cious recognition of this sweet talk
because he wants TO prolong his Off
cial tenure.
For Taft First and Last.
William Howard Taft is the presl
dents choice. first. last and all the
time, and whatever he can do to ad-
vance the interests of his friend in
the cabinet he will do earnestly and
adroiily as he does everything else
upon which he centers his affections
and energies.
Another fact is to be considered in
this conection. The president is said
TO have remarked not long ago that
the seeming certainty of the Demo
Gratis nominating william ]. Bryan for
president makes ii more important, if
not imperative, for the Republicans 10
put up a man who will stand by the
Roosevelt administration. 1t is freely
remarked in the official circles Of
Washington that Mr. Bryan could east
ly defeat Fairbanks, Cannon, Shaw
Foraker or any other man branded
by the Roosevelt followers as a reac-
t'onist
Whether Bryan could defeat Taft is
debatablf, but with any other Repub-
lican ur (not referring TO Mr. Roose-
velt) Bryan probably would win in
walk. and the president is said to
aho-o +bf. or;,;or