The Washington times., 1908-03-08
IContinued from e One.l


but Senator Burkett, one OF the closest
and most devoted friends OF the Ohioan
in Nebraska, was selected as one OF the
delegates in the Lincoln district. This
Incident was significant because Sen
atOr -Burkett, when his name was
brought out some weeks ago for dele
gate-at-large. declined 20 be candi-
date. The opposition secured control in
his home county and instructed for an
other man.
The BuTkett followers In the other six
counties OF the district resented this so
strongly that they got together at the
convention, voted solidly for Burkett as
district delegate, and elected him over
the vote OF his home county, without
even notifying him OF what was going
10 be done. Thus the strongest Taft
man In the State IS made a delegate,
without even asking It, in the very cen
ter and hotbed Of the opposition.
Up TO this point, then, the Taft move
mept appears 10 be carrying the cOun-
try about as its managers had pre-
dicted. The fly in the ointment is tho
increasing evidence Of late that many
of the people who are going up. as Taft
delegates have little real heart in the
matter. They are for Taft because he is
RoOsevelt's candidate, and they would
would vastly prefer TO support the
President himself. So many manifesto
lions or this sentiment have come to
Washington that the third-termers are
much encouraged by it.
They believe that in the time yet to
elapse before the convention this feeling
viii grow SO strong that it will yet
carry the convention. They point out
that the anti-Taft delegates. plus the
uninstructed votes. plus the heart-to-
heart Roosevelt men who chance TO bs
instructed for Taft, with the whole
mass lesvened by concern over business
conditions and the possibility OF Demo
cratic success II any other man than
the President is nominated, viii at
length force the Presidents nomination.
Third-Tsrme1s Active.
They are. indeed. counting on even
Qualities between now and the COnven-
ton. II business should not improve.
or in the event that 1t should grow
gtil worse. they think the convention
viii recognize the great danger TO the
party OF naming any but its strongest
man-ths President himself.
Thus, Senator Bourne. inventor Of the
second elective term" phrase, and in
spring force Of a third-term organIza-
ton alleged TO be IN process OF forma-
ton, said last night:
Taft never Will reach 40i votes in
the convention. and Roosevelt will be
the nominee. For months have been
doing what 1 could TO crystalline public
opinion in favor OF a second elective
term I am merely trying to call at
tenton TO the fact that the people have
the power 10 force Mr.. Roosevelt to
serve another term. The people are
sovereign, and Mr.. Roosevelt is simply
a public servant, not dictator. II the
people want him they can have him
All they have to do is simply TO com
mand him and disregard his personal
wishes.
"Au the strength Of the Taft move
ment has been due 10 the Roosevelt
sentiment behind It. and the supposition
that Taft was his choice. When the
public once gets into its mind that
Roosevelt can be commanded 10 serve
again, the Taft sentiment will instantly
disappear"
But third-term medicine, even with
the sugarcoating OF the secOnd-elcCtive
phrase. doesn't seem to be going down
very effectively when this statement of
Senator Bourne is compared with the
following statement made yesterday by
Judge A. W Field, OF Lincoln, who will
be one of the instructed Taft delegates
at large from Nebraska.
Thinks President Firm
Judge Field has been in Washington
several days. he said:
After nv interview with President
Roosevelt the other day, in company
with Senators Brown and Burkett.
was more of a Taft man than ever.
The President informed us that he ex-
pected 20 see Taft chosen by acclama-
ton at the national convention. have
not the slightest idea that the President
would accept the nomination under any
circumstances. and I know he is for
Taft without reserve.
when we called on Secretary Taft
we were assured by him that he would
not have entertained the idea of being
a candidate for a minute II there had
been any possibility, however slight, OF
inducing the President TO again be
candidate. I found Mr.. Taft one of the
most agreeable men I have ever met.
Il believe he IS one OF the very strong
est men in public life. and I am certain
he Will carry out the policies of the
President with as much vigor as the
friends OF the President desire. He has
had the training that will make him one
OF our greatest Presidents. have been
a Taft man right along. and my faith
in him has been strengthened by my
visit in Washington"
Senators for Taft.
Senator AIdrich OF Rhode Island is the
latest convert to the cause OF Taft. He
has been telling some Of his colleagues
that the Secretary OF War will be nOmi-
mated. Moreover, in a recent visit to
the White House. he said to have ad-
vised the President that he was for
Taft, and believed ne would be nomi-
mated.
Il has been whispered about for some
weeks that regardless OF the talk about
the New England situation being ad-
verse to Taft, Senator Aldrich looked
on him with a kindly eye. Not much