Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-29
TAFT MISSES TRAIN.
Makes Quick Tri p In Auto But Admir-
ers Stop Him At Ferry.

New York, June 2S.-After a four
hour political conference at Oyster
Bay with President Roosevelt, Gen.
Luke E. Wright, National Committee
man Frank B. Kellogg of Minnesota,
and w. l.. Ward of New York, Secre-
tary Taft left there at 245 o'clock Sat
urday afternoon i'll an automobile for
this city, arriving here in the record
breaking time of one hour and 80 min
utes. The car was a big 60-horse pow
er touring machine, and the chauffeur
hit up a fast clip from the start, max
ing the first IA miles in 10 minutes,
much to the delight of Secretary Taft,
who hugely enjoyed the pace, the OBJ
ject of which was to reach Jersey City
in time to catch the Washington eX
press due out of there at AS. After
all the speeding, however, the secretary
was doomed to disappointment, as
crowd Of cheering admirers and auto
graph hunters at the 23rd street ferry
in New York, caused him to miss the
boat and the train, Mr.. Taft being OBJ
liged to take another train at 5.25, due
in Washington at 1855 tonight. On his
trip down he was accompanied ~ Gen.
Clarence r. Edwards, chief of lnSular
affairs in the war department. and
James +. Willis, his political iieuten-
ant.
Asked about the conference ut Saga
more hill, Sec. Taft said that he went
there to talk over matters with the
President and Wright, in connection
with the war department, which port
folio General Wright will assume July
l. Affairs in Cuba, Panama and the
Philippines We're principally discussed.
There are vacancies in the Philippine
commission to be filled, one of which
will go to a native.
Questioned about the report that he
was to taxa up his summer residence
at oyster n.y., Mr.. Taft replied:
Il have not thought of such a thing.
I leave the war department the end Of
this month and go to Hot Springs, Va,
with my family, where / shall play
golf, ride horseback and hope to have
a general good time. l shall go to
Washington on July to meet the sub
committee and after we have had Il
conference l shall return to Hot
Springs"
1t was learned today that while at
Hot Springs Secretary Taft will busy
himself with the preparation of his
address of acceptance, which he Will
deliver some time between July 90 and
25 at Cincinnati to the committee that
will wait on him. the exact date not
having beer fixed as yet. 1t is under
stood that the secretary will not finish
this address until after the Democratic
platform shall have been adopted at
Denver, as there are likely to be some
plankS in It that he may wish to dis
cuss After this address is delivered
the secretary will return to Hot
Springs, where he will give out IFS
formal letter OF accep,anc~ V. e.
nation for the Presidency and then
the real work of the campaign will be-
gin.
Gen. Luke f. Wright left Oyster Bay
after the conference to spend the night
Long Island, but he will leave Sunday
for Washington to famiiarize himself
with the war department.
The much mooted question of the ma
tional committee craftsmanship was dis
cussed ut Sycamore HILL but all mem
bers of the conference preserved the ut.
most secrecy as to the outcome. 1t 10
known. however, that Frank B. Kellogg
went there to champion the cause of
Frank Hitchcock, who is thought to be
the tavOrite choice for the place by both
President Roosevelt and Secretary Taft
William l.. Ward favors Senator Murray
Crane of Massachusetts, but it is undo T.
stood that Crane has not been seriously