The Washington times., 1908-09-03
Seeking Real Significance of
His Peace Overture
to Taft.
SENATOR AFRAID,
OPPONENTS THINK
Politicians Declare That He Real
ICES Danger of Losing His
Seat in Congress.
By JAMES HAY. Tr.

MIDDLE BASS ISLAND. Ohio, Sept
8--All Ohio IS trying 70 make Up its
mind today as 70 what Is the real sig
niflcance Of the meeting yesterday be-
tween Foraker and Taft. Political lead
ers are pretty well agreed That the sit
uation IS as follows:
Foraker, realizing the utter futiIity OF
trying 10 fight Taft and supporters Of
Taft, and at the same time save his
own political life, sued for a reconcuia-
ton. with the result taat he is sup
porting Taft. although neither Taft nor
Taft's friends promised him help.
The only advantage be gets out Of the
situation at all is the strength he might
gain by appearing before the voters as
regular" But this is a fancied rather
than a real advantage. because he has
gone so far IN his hostility against Tart
ana the State Organiztion that the lead
ers in Ohio have made I'D their minds
70 beat him for denomination to the
Senate.
Supporters Confer.
Inc meeting yesterday followed a con-
ference Tuesday night at the home OF
e A. Lewis. Of Toledo, who is a Taft
man. AT the conference were Senator
Foraker and his two friends. James II.
Hoyt, Of Cleveland, and Representative
J. Warren Keifer, and two Taft men.
Mr. Lewis and Gen. Henry c. Corbin,
OF Washington, y. c.. The facts Of that
conference and circumstances leading
up 10 IL were told 10 me today BY one
Of the participants Of it,
General Keifer arrived here last Sun
day as the emissary Of Foraker. and
proposed that Taft should go 10 Fort
Meigs Tuesday to hear Foraker speak,
/ and, incidentally, to greet the Senator.
Taft refused 10 take the trip, on the
ground that there was no reason for
him to adopt the attitude OF seeking
I Foraier's favor
Then followed the conference OF. Tues
day night II was held at the home OF
Mr. Lewis as a gentle HUT that the
Foraker people, in seeking peace, must
go &C Taft, rather than have the TAFT
supporters put in the light Of seeking
Foraker.
Foraker Is Eager.
At the conference, it was made plain
that Foraker wanted to get Oh the band
wagon. He was informed that here,
as in the case Of West virginia and
every other State, Taft had refused
to mix IN factionaI fights. and that he
could not undertake TO make any pact
with Foraker or any other man who
might want to go to the Senate.
He also was told that the Presidential
candidate had nothing against him per-
s0naIly. and, if he wanted to support
the national ticket, he would De wei
coined in the ranks, Of course.
The next point was decision as to
where the meeting OF the two men
wcdld be. Foraker finally decided that
he would meet Taft in the reviewing
stand of the Grand Army parade. and
later appear with him on the platform
at the reception of the Lincoln Re
p-'hIcan club. This program was car
ried out.
At the conference. this remark was
made to Foraker by q Taft man:
you understand, of course, that
neither Taft nor any friend Of his prom
ises you anything. he win not be in
volved IN any factional fight for q
senatorsehip or any other office"
Asks for Nothing.
THAT is all I want Foraker re-
piled Il am not asking for anything
more. But 1 do not want to feel sure
that Taft is not putting I'D a candidate
against me
he was assured that Taft never had
such an idea, and that he would
not adopt such tactics in Ohio any
more than he would in California or
any other State. The conference ended
with Foraker promising TO do all he
could Tor Tart without expecting either
promises or aid.
If this apparent burying Of the hatchet
by Foraker had come soon after fbe
Chicago convention, it probably would
have done MIN much good in the state.
But now II has come too late
Injury to Party.
The organization Of Ohio. in refusing
to put him on the program for the
formal opening Of the campaign in
Youngstown, September 8. served notice
on him that the leaders OF the State
had tired Of his needless hostility ana
his persistent bullying OF the organiza-
tiOn.
They have been hearing reports from
all over the Union of the bad effect
Foraker's acts have had on the national
ticket. Only last week, one Of the lead,
ers returned 10 the State with the story
OF how the Maine voters viewed with
alarm the FOraker-Taft situation in
Ohio. 1t had been reported there that
Foraker would take the stump for Bry-
an.