New-York tribune., 1908-07-01
TAFT ENDS WAR WORK
GIVES UP OFFICE TO-DAY.
To announce Chairman july s.
Plans Rest at Hot Springs, ia.
rFrcm Th. rrfeune Rursau.1 }

rFrcm The Tribune BureauI
Washington. June :0 William II. Tast com.
pleted his service Secretary OF War this even
ing and. to use his own expression. retired 20
private life" Tomorrow at noon General Luke
Wright. who succeeded Mr- Tar as Governor
General Of the Philippines. win take the oath of
Office Secretary OF War.
Secretary Taft spent the day closing up In
Vulnerable matters relating to the War Depart
ment. Tomorrow morning he will present to
General Wright the officers OF the General Stan
and tho heads OF the various bureaus OF the de-
partment- He Will then turn his attention to tho
political affairs which are awaiting his consider
atioa.
There is no change in the chairrnanship Sit
uation. but the Secretary purposes TO have a long
conference with Frank H Hitchcock Tomorrow
and it Is generally believed that when that has
been concluded the chairrnanship problem will
have been disposed of. Next in order will bs
the selection OF treasurer for the national
committee. and formal announcement OF both se-
lections will be made on July at Hot Springs.
Va. Fred W. Carpenter. Mr.. Taft's secretary,
has to-day requested by telegraph the various
members OF the subcommittee 10 meet the can
didate for President there
1t is Judge Taft's hope and purpose to have
a complete rest at Hot Springs after July 8.
until the committee bearing the formal in
formation OF his nomination Is ready TO per-
form it's function. when he will go to his own
city, Cincinnati to receive it. In the mean time.
the Secretary is telling his friends he purposes
to play golf take long walks and rides and
rest while as far as possible. political callers
will be requested to defer their visits until
August. The accounts Of the links at Hot
Springs which have been brought to the Secre-
tary are decidedly alluring and he is deter
mined to develop fine golf physical form
during the month of July. while in August he
expects to make some wonderful scores.
SCHEDULE OF SPEECHES TENTATIVE.
Apropos of various reports that Judge Taft
will speak in this, that and the other place. he
said to-day that every promise he had made
and every particle of encouragement he had
given to those inviting him to make speeches
had been qualified by the declaration that his
movements would be entirely subject to tbs
approval of his political advisers. especially the
chairman Of the national committee. For the
present, therefore" said the Secretary. such
assertions will be taken with ample allowances
for the fact thu there IS no chairman Of the
national comm ittee-as yet"
Secretary Taft has expressed keen regret at
the REIMBURSEMENT Of the portfolio Of war which
he has administered since February I. 1904. and
the officers duty In the department are ali
sorry tc him go. He has commanded not
OF = the respect and admiration of every off,
Ger who has come IN contact with him. but the
genuine affection as well. and all regret hts de-
parture. although they find consolation IN tire
fact that they hope TO welcome him back to
washington next spring as their commander IN
chief.
The only real political conference which Sec
re,ary Taft had to-day with Representatives
Theodore E. Burton. of Cleveland. who pre-
sented his name the Chicago convention for
the Presidency. Che conference was prolonged.
Mr. B,l~ton discuz5ed with the Secretary the de-
tails az tfa cooEention and the political situa-
ton as 1t n5s developed since the convention
adjourned They devoted particular attention
to the political conditions IN Ohio. Mr. Taft'a
native state concerning which he Is especially
soIicitous.
MIR vORYS NOT TO BE CHAIRMAN
At the close Of the conference Mr.. Burton
said that several questions were considered by
Mr.. Taft and himself concerning which he could
not talk.
Mr. V, VS.. who has been mentioned in
nection q ith the national chairmanshp of the
Republican party he said. will be identified
probably witt the approaching national cam
paign in ar important capacity; but, the
situation is to-Iay. he will not be the chairman
of the committee. 1 have information at
this ne on axe national craftsmanship ques-
tion ayoud that. 1 am quite certain. how
ever that all of the wrinkles which now seem
to exist Will be sm0othed out in few days.
Commenting uron this interview with Mr..
Burton. Seer stary Taft said automatically:
We CO sldere9 the state of the whole union.
but little political touch was given to the IN
terview. 7 will s,lmit-
Mr. Burton may go to Hot Springs for a brief
soiourn aholt the time Secretary Taft and his
family arrive there, The Secretary said to-day
that he and Mrs. Taft and their son Charlis
would leave Washington next Friday afternoon
te D. m FIR Hot Springs in a special car over
the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway.
IT shall have plenty TO occupy my time" said
the Secretary, "even after relnquish my duties
at the War Department. I am regzrdtns with
sonne concern a great wooden box filed with
letters which I shall have to sign They ara in
response for the most part. to letters and tele-
grams which I have received concerning my
nomination
In connection with the administration OF the
War Department. as of other departments o.
the government Secretary Taft took occasion TO
nav a tribute to the ability and efficiency OF the
bureau chiefs and the clerks He said. in effect.
that they really constituted the government as
il "a known to the country. and that the gov
ernmsnt at washington would survive even in
the event OF the incapacitation Of the President
and Of all CT the members OF the Cabinet.