The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-23
THE BATTLE GROUND New England the Scene in Re publican Presidential
 Race. AMTI-TAFT RUM0R NAILED Taft Leads in Ballot Taken in House. as Also Does w. J.
 Bryan.

Washington, D. C,, Jan. 22.-That New England has become the common battle ground for the field of Republi- can presidential candidates is now ap- parent In the case of Secretary Taft at least, that section is considered sec ond in importance only to his own State, where the Taft and Foraker forces are deadlocked.
 The Connecticut delegation which went 10 Stamford to attend the fun eral of Samuel Fessenden, remained at home long enough to put their ears to the ground. and when they returned to the capitol they admitted that the sec retary of war was by long odds the favorite in Connecticut There was some sentiment in favor of Governor Hughes and Vice President Fairbanks, but the other candidates, Speaker Can non. Senators Foraker Knox and La Toilette were so far as could be learn ed, without any noticeable following.
 Congressman F. ] Hill of South i NorWalk who is enc of MT Tafts most enthusiastic supporters in New 1 England, unlike some of his colleagues makes no secrtt of his preference for the presidential nomination. When he returned to Washington Monday night l he informed some of his most intimate friends that the sentiment fin Connec- ticut was so overwhelmingly in favor of Secretary Taft that the other can didates would find 1t impossible to weaken his popularity in that State. MT. Hill conveyed the same informa- tion to President Roosevelt when he visited the White House last Thurs day.
 The industrious manner in which the anti-Taft campaign managers have circulated rumors during the past week in an effort to check the tide which is sweeping in the direction of Secretary Taft strengthens the belief that 1t Is now a question of the entire rfeld joining hands in concerted action against the man who is admittedly the choice of President Roosevelt. In fact these rumors were of such a startling nature that your correspond net deemed it necessary. in one in instance, to determine the truth or falsity of statements which were giv- en wide publicity not only in this city, but throughout the country generally. The particular rumor referred to was to the effect that the New England delegation had met and reached a decision to put forth their best efforts to stop the progress of the Taft boom in their home districts.
 Investigation developed the fact that the New England delegation not lony does not. as body, oppose the nomination of Secretary Taft, but that the delegation has not met for any purpose whatever during the present session of congress
 There are indications that Senator Foraker, who left last Wednesday to take personal charge of his political interests In Ohio will not carry his fight against Taft to such an extreme that the State will be lost to the Re publicans. Although the senator will not withdraw from the contest at the
 
 feated he will swing his support to the victor. In return for this Mir. Foraker will be assured of his return to the senate without opposition from the Taft supporters in the Ohio legis- lature.
 Should this compromise go through as planned the greatest menace to the I TT, ho l, the supremacy of the secretary of war in his own State being assured. his political managers could turn their attention to other fields in need of cultivation
 It is not to he presumed. however, that this work is being neglected be cause of the unsettled state of affairs in Ohio. It is undoubtedly fact that no other candidate for the Republi- can nomination with the possible ey- ception of Governor Hughes. has so many enthusiastic volunteer cam paign workers as has the genial secre- tarv of war one of these is Winston Churchill. the novelist. who was in Washington this week conferring with political friends of MT. Taft and re- porting on the progress of the work being done in New Hampshire. Mir Churchill predicts that the Granite State delegates will express themselves in favor of Taft. despite the claims made by friends of Speaker Cannon and Vice President Fairbanks.
 With each of the candidates striving to gain every possible advantage it is interesting to note that every one. without exception. is bringing the ut imost pressure to bear to enlist the services of Winthrop Murray Crane. formerly governor of Massachusetts and now the junior senator from that