New-York tribune., 1908-12-19
MR.. TAFT AND BURTON
WHY CABINET OFFER WIS
WTTHDR4WN.
Relations aith Foraker and Indis-
Greet Pledges of Patronage an
Ohio the Cause.
fFrnm The Tribune Bureau. ]

From The Tribune Bureau-l
WASHINGTON Dec. 1S.-The friends of Repre-
sentative Theodore E. Burton, of Ohio. are sei1-
ously concerned over recent developments in his
relations with the President-elect. There are
certain facts which are known to ell Mr.. Bur
toms friends They are that he was urged by
Mr. Taft to accept the Treasury portfolio; that
he went to Ohio and told his friends OF the oner'
and even went so far to pledge certain
patronage. apparently with the purpose OF
furthering his chances Of election to the senate
and finally, that for some reason wholly mex
plcable to the large majority Of their friends the
tender of the Treasury portfolio was withdrawn
The few friends of Mr.. Burton who have ar
rived at a nearer approach to the true inward
ness of the events which led to the withdrawal
of Mr. Taft's invitation to the brilliant Ohioan
TO enter the Cabinet the more deeply con-
cerned the further they penetrate. Mr. Burton
has long enjoyed the reputation of being far
more the statesman than the astute politician
and some of his warmest friends have net hesi-
tated to assert that in the game of practical pol
itics he was a tyro; but that there should be the
slightest ground for the belief that he was dis
loyal to the Presdent-eiect or had shown lack
of delicacy in utilizing the confidence of Mr.
Taft is the occasion of surprise as great as the
regret caused by recent events, and probably no
one entertains both sentiments 10 a greater de-
gree than the future President.
OF course there have been various reports
whereby it has been sought to account for the
withdrawal of Mr.. Tafts tender Of the Secre-
taryship of the Treasury. none of them more
wide of the mark than that which has attributed
to Mr. Taft a purpose to assist the Senatorial
candidacy of his brother, Charles P. Taft
Those in a position to speak with authority
know that nothing more earnest and SIN
cere than Mr.. Taft's offer of the Treasury port
folio to Mr.. Burton, and probably none will be
more frank in confessing that fact than MI
Burton himself.
The President-elect even went so far as TO
urge Mr. Burton seriously to consider the offer,
saying that he regarded him student of
financial affairs of more than ordinary ability,
that his course in the House had commanded
the highest respect and that in his effort to sur
round himself with Cabinet which would be
not only loyal but composed Of men Of pre-
eminent ability, he made tender with greater
earnest and good will incidentally, Mr.. Taft
requested that news of the tender should not be
made public for the present.
Those of Mr.. Burtons friends who have ar
all the more amazed, in view of the circum-
stances related that he should have entered into
a conference, to use broader term, with SEN
ator Foraker for the purpose of defeating the
candidacy of c. p. Taft and bringing about his
own election to the Senate but those aware of
the relations recently established between the
Ohio Senator and his would successor, and of
the wholesale and unguarded pledges of federal
patronage which Mr.. Burton has been making
in Ohio, find difficulty in understanding why
Mr.. Taft has empha tically, if not peremptorily,
withdrawn his offer of a Cabinet place. while
those who know the skill of Mr.. Foraker as
practical politician and the inability of Mr.. Bur
ton to cope with the Senator realize that had
not the latter's plans received sudden check,
not only c. P, Taft but Mr. Burton himself
would have been defeated for the Senate, with
every probability of Mr.. Foraker being success
full in the contest. to take part in which he
Gently left Washington for Ohio. This would
have been especially likely in view of the un-
guarded assertions in connection with his
brothers candidacy which Mr.. Burton was at
tributing TO the Presdent-elect.
Those of Mr. Burton's friends who are in pos
session of all the facts fear that he is now des-
tined to fall between two stools, and the advo-
Gates Of the election to the Senate OF c. P Taft
can hardly refrain from modicum Of gratifica-
ton at the extent TO which, according to their
way Of putting il, Mr.. Burton has overreached
himself. The formal withdrawal of Mr. Taft of
his offer TO Mr.. Burton took place in Washing
ton last Saturday, at interview which was
exceedingly painful for both men,