The Washington herald., 1908-03-09
REAL TAFT LEADER
Kansas Senator at Helm in
0hiOan's Candidacy.
ELIMINATION OF CoRTELYOU
Writer for Western Paper Declares
senator Responsible for Presidents
Term and for Implied Attack on
Secretary of the Treasury's Boom.

Kansas City. March s-A special TO the
Journal from Washington says
! II Secretary Taft is nominated for
President At the Chicago convention. he
viii be under lasting obligations, first, 10
President Roosevelt. and second. TO Sena-
tor Long, of Kansas. The Presidents S
popularity. coupled with the political
acumen Of the Kansas Senator is re-
ponsible in a large measure for the de-
velopment Of the Taft boom. While Ar
thur l. Vorys, of Ohio, wears the title of
rafts campo lgn manager. the fact is that
Senator Long has always been the real
director Vorys has devoted his time
chiefly 10 the Ohio situation and 10 work
ing out details in other States. Long has
engineered the big political deals.
When the President first decided 70 go
behind the Taft candidacy. he realized
that it would mean a hard fight In Ohio.
! To delay work in other States until the
Ohio contest was settled spelled defeat
at the convention.
/ SO it was determined TO start the boom
elsewhere. The Central West, where
Roosevelt is perhaps the strongest. was
/ selected as fertile ground. Senator Long.
who had formed strong ties of friendship
with Taft upon their Philippine "Trip, was
summoned 10 the White House and asked
10 direct the Taft movement in the West.
I He went home and soon lined up Kansas
for the Secretary A. that time the
I State was drifting toward La Toilette,
and this gave Long an additional reason
for helping Taft.
Long Retaliatea.
La Toilette had done Long much dam
age in Kansas. and here was a chance
to set even. The result Of the recent con-
vention there in sending a solid Tat,
delegation TO Chicago was a sweet morseI
for Long. but a bitter pill for La Fol
iette. BY some adrOit work. Long also
got Missouri started of after The TAFT
band wagon. and IL has recently turned
up with practically a solid delegation for
the big Secretary. The work in Kansas.
Missouri. and other Central Western
States was showed along without regard
10 the contest IN Ohio. That the results
IN them had influence on the Buckeve
situation. however. Is admitted by vorys
himself
Oklahoma was the most delicate West
/ ern proposition 10 handle The President
had ruthlesSly trampIed under foot all
the politicians there in the appointment
or Federal officers for the rev State
He let the Rough Riders run away with all
the patronage. The Rough Riders at that
very tine were dead ones, politically. in
Oklahoma, but the President didn't know
II DE found It out, though. when the
republicans began 10 frame things I'D for
the election Of delegates 10 the Chicago
convention.
Rough Riders Win.
In that patronage fight last fall Long
had lined up with the other crowd he
went down with II before the Rough
Riders. He was, therefore. in position 10
counsel with them on the Presidential
question. And he did. As a result. the
old time political leaders forgot their
grievances against the President and
began 70 whoop 'er up for Taft. They
ran roughshod over the Rough Riders
and VIII send an anti-RouEh Rider but
Taft delegation 10 Chicago. Their
STATE convention VIII be pulled or at
oklahoma City next Wednesday. There
Is no question as 10 what ii will do 60
far as instructions are concerned
Some doubt existed for A time as IN
how the present national committee stood
on the Presidential matter. Senator Long
thought it wise TO find out. The oppor-
tunity came when the committee met 10
select a date and place FOR holding the
national convention. Long urged Taft
men TO support Kansas City. Vorys op-
posed the suggestion Long had his
way. and. with TWO exceptions. all the
Taft men voted for Kansas CITY. That
vote disclosed the hand of Secretary
Cortelyou- His man. Frank II. Hitchcock
then First Assistant Postmaster General
was there to whip the Southern members
into line for Chicago.
In Interest of COrteIyou.
That was in the interests of CorteIyou's
candidacy for President Chicago won
but in winning, the Taft men found ex-
actly how the committee stood. and that
was what Long was after It showed that
II Cortelyou could be eliminated and Taft
could inherit his strength from the South
he could dominate the committee in the
settlement Of contests at the preliminary
organization Of the Chicago convention.
So Long set to work to bring about that
result Cortelyou was developing his
boom under the cloak Of a Roosevelt
third term.
Long knew what Cortelyou was doing.
He found It out on a patronage deal
Ee wanted Andy Richards. of WellinC-
ton, kans., appointed 20 an authorship
In the Treasury Department He re-
ceived information that the appointment
would be made providing there were some
Cortelyou deleSates elected in Kansas.
Long carried the news to the President.
and was told t. make no promises The
President, inadvertently. mentioned the
matter TO Cortelyou, and since that time
diplomatic relations between the Kansas
Senator and the head of the Treasury
Department have been severed.
Richards Not Successful.
Richards didn't get the job IN the
Treasury, but Roosevelt created Just as
good place for him in the Department
OF Justice
Senator Long told the President that
two things had to be done 70 help the