The Washington times., 1908-08-14
Will Reserve Answer TO Ac-
ceptance Speech Until
August 81.
PLANNING EFFORT
TO SWING SOUTH
Preparing Strong Appeal to Vot-
ers-Has Conference With Ham
mond and West Virginians.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.

y
HOT SPRINGS. Va. Aug. l4-In re-
fusiug today TO discuss Bryan's speech
Of Acceptance, William Howard taft in
tlmated plainly that he will criticise
and reply TO the Nebraskan's argument
in the speech which he will deliver Acre
August ~ before the mass meeting OF
Virginia Republicans.
Not since The civil war has such an
appeal been made TO the South TO vote
FOR the Republican ticket as will be
made on that day by Mr.. Taft. EncouT-
aged by the reports of growing Repub-
licanism in the South, the candidate
and the national committee have de-
cided to leave no stone unturned in the
enort to cripple Democracy in this sec
tion of the country.
The speech on which Mr. Taft is now
working viii be Z direct appeal TO the
Virginians and the South to line up for
the Republican party. II will treat IN
most exhaustive manner of all the
issues which are vital to the South, and
its great theory will be that the South,
now on the high road 10 prosperity
should rot turn away from it into
paths which may lead to business dis
Appeal To South.
In the speech there also win be an
appeal TO IT, Republicans Of the South
20 win o-er the representative business
men Of their section. and 10 make the
party standards as high there as they
are in the other parts OF the United
States
50
assured 10y the reports Mr.. TAFT has
received. According to letters which
have come to him, there will be here
on that day more than 1900 persons.
The candidate has not yet secured a
new horse, but he is beginning 10 hear
from many persons who are ambitious
10 get rid OF their mounts. One tele-
gram came from Boston asking the
candidate 10 buy a horse there II ne
could not md one strong enough for
him in Virginia. To this Mr. TAFT re
piled: Thank you for your interest
in myself and horse. but ] am getting
along very we'll with the morse nave
Edwards After Horse.
He will leave to Gen. Clarence Ed
wards the work OF finding the right
kind Of a mount for him. This after
noon Mr.. Taft viii have a conference
with his personal adviser. Arthur !.
Vorys. and John Hays Hammond, as
to the part the National League Of
Republicans Clubs shall take in the
campaign. The plan IS to make the
clubs more useful and less ornamental
than they have been in previous cam
paigns.
Scherr. the boiling candidate for the
gOveTnorship Of West Virginia, VIII
come 10 Hot Springs today. when
Senators Elkins and Scott will have
rasgv g. a frra in a or 70
persuade him to quit the fight and
leave SWisheT. the regular nominee an
open field against the Democrats.
Swisher left this morning. declining to
take part in the conference.
West Virginia Trouble.
Senator Scott is especially anxious 10
patch up peace between the two men,
because, il this is not done. the Scherr
people probably will fight him bitterly
for the denomination to the Senate in
1909. Representative Joseph II. Gaines
IS already being mentioned as a man
who could make a strong run against
Scott and there is every indication
that Scott will have TO night il out with
Gaines when the time comes for the
selection to be made. If Scherr stays
in the gubernatorial fight and keeps
un his organization he Will be in a po-
sition to do Scott much damage.
Taft Sees Hammond.
John Hays Hammond was in confer
ence today with Mr.. Taft. Vorys, and
Suell Smith, who is now Hammond's
personal representative but formerly
with Frank II. Hitchcock. II was de-
cided TO start to work Immediately. to
make the national league OF Republican
clubs a strong working organization.
Hammond is 10 be president of the
league, and he and Smith will begin |
at once making visits to the headquar-
ters of each club and putting them in
shape for active campaigning. II is
Hammonds idea to name all the clubs
Taft clubs. and to give each one certain
-ork TO DO. He has taken up this work |
d Mr.. Taft's request.