New-York tribune., 1908-07-03
TAFT In CONFERENCES
CANNON CALLS ON HIN.
Cortelyou Urges Hitchcock for
Chairman-Notfcation July @S.
fFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]


Washington July 2-Ex-Secretary Taft held
conferences this afternoon with Speaker Can
non Secretary Cortelyou and Postmaster Geh-
eral Meyer, and announced dehnitey that 'h7
formal notification of his nomination wouid Dc
received at Cincinnati on July Is When ne
receives the committee on that occasion MI
Taft will sound the keynote of the campaign III
his speech of acceptance and also join issue
with the platform of the Democrats. He VIII
go to work on his speech at Hot Springs next
week.
Tomorrow will be Mr. Taft's last day here.
and he expects to have conferences in the
morning with Frank B. Kellogg and Frank ID.
Hitchcock. Mr. Kellogg came from New YORK
tonight and Mr.. Hitchcock is coming from At
Iantic City. While no announcement or cam
paign plans will be made until after the ma
tional subcommittee Is received at HOT springs
next Wednesday, July s, it is understood that
the craftsmanship problem is shaping itsen to"-
ard a satisfactory solution.
The conferences held with party leaders to-day
were at different times and places. Speaker
Cannon having spent an hour at the disrnastieo
Taft home while Mr.. Taft was Postmaster Cen
eral Meyer's guest at luncheon at the Metro
politan Club He went to the Treasury to see
Secretary Cortelyou in his Office. Speaker Can
non was buoyant on leaving the Taft home put
could not be persuaded to discuss politics 1ur-
ther than to say that he would be active IN the
campaign. THE Republican party he said
lis ready for the fray. We have our standard
bearer The Democrats will name their leader
next week After that the campaign VIII De
waged, and 1 am ready to serve in any position
in the great Republican army, whether as prl-
vate, captain, colonel or general
Mr. Tafts talk with Secretary Cortelyou COW
cred a wide range of political topics. Primarily
Tof n ia with
YOU about the work of the national committee
of which Mr.. Cortelyou chairman In the last
campaign. Mr.. Cortelyou gave Mr.. Taft much
valuable information concerning the practical
workings of the committee. Incidentally al
though the subject of the national chairman
ship was not considered at great length, MT
Cortelyou took occasion to urge the selection Oh
Frank H. Hitchcock He regarded him as wen
equipped to undertake the responsibility and dis
charge the duties of chairman OF the natlonaI
committee He said he had been personally and
officially associated with Mr.. Hitchcock Tor
many years, and held him in the highest esteem
Mr. Taft made it clear not only that no de-
cision will be reached until the meeting which
he is to have at Hot Springs with the SUD-
committee, but that he would regard 1t as ex-
tremely dscourteous to the subcommittee 1or
him to discuss the question in any of Its phases
Late this afternoon Mr.. Taft received a cable
dispatch conveying sad news TO hlm II was
the announcement of the death in London to-
day Of William T. Gilbert. of Brooklyn, MEM
Der of Mr. Tafts class of rs at Yale. Mr. Gill
bert recently went to England to obtain the
benefit of a sea voyage and was unable, there
fore to be present at the reunion of the class OF
rs held last week at New Haven. Mr. Ta1t
Immediately cabled to Consul General ROBERT
J. Wynne. at London to extend to Mr. GllDerts
sister such courtesies might be IN his power
About 6 o'clock this evening Mr.. and Mrs
Taft went In an automobile to the home or
General and Mrs. J. Franklin Bell, at Fort
Myer where an informal dinner was given In
their honor tonight. After the dinner recep-
ton was given to the army officers stationed In
and near Washington and their wives at the
home of General Bell.
Mr. and Mrs. Taft and their son Charles ac-
companied by a clerical force and servants. Will
leave Washington tomorrow afternoon at
o'clock by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway for
Hot Springs. It is not expected that Mr. TART
will be in Washington again for several months
Representative Theodore E. Burton, of Ohio,
who made the nominating speech for Mr. Taft
at the Chicago convention. has gone to Hot
Springs