Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-06-03
PRESIDENT GETS BUSY
Adjournment of Congress Fails
to Relieve Roosevelt Of
Work
CONCERNED OVER CONVENTION
Prepares to Overcome Third term
Sentiment and Seeks to Secure En-
dorsement of His PoIicies-Far From
Satisfied With Congress- Accom-
plishments.
Special to Times-Republicar

Special to Times Republican.
Washington, June 3.-The adjourn
ment of congress didn't mean that
President Roosevelt would have an inn
mediate holiday. AS matter of fact.
the presidents work hasn't let up a
bit. He got congress off his hands only
to get the national convention on them
The next two weeks will be busy
ones at the White House. for the pres
ident is determined that if it be in his
power to prevent it no cogs shall slip
at Chicago. He is not unmindful of the
fact that there will be in the conNen-
ton lot OF determined third-term
boomers, but he is serenely confident
he can prevent the success of any eff
fort on their part to start Roosevelt
stampede. The president is firmly con-
WINGED that the only thing now that
can prevent Taft's nomination is the
nomination of himself, and while TAX
ing every precaution he is not losing
any sleep over the latter contingency.
The fact that the allies" do not con-
cede the nomination TO Taft worries
the president not at all. He only smiles
when it IS recalled to him that Sc
ward in 1860. Blaine in 1876, Grant in
1880 and Sherman in 1855. each went
into the convention with the nomina-
ton apparently "sewed up but that
each failed to land the prize. He pre-
fers going back no farther than 1896.
when Mckinley occupied a position
very much the same as that occupied
by Taft today. and the opposition
dwindled to nothing. The president is
something of hand at citing prece-
dents himself, and has more or less of
u reputation as a precedent maker he
thinks he knows how TO read the po-
itical barometer. and he can see moth
ing but Taft and fair weather.
Feeling that, except to guard against
accidents he need no longer concern
himself over the nomination. the pres
ident is giving thought to the platform.
Here is point at which he is vitality
interested and at which he doesn't feel
quite sure of his ground. He wants the
PLATFORM 10 COuldill Il llllS lliS Sliboi
ment of his administration and his
policies--he wouldn't be human If he
didn't --and he is far from certain the
"reactionaries" have not card up
their sleeve.
Mr. Roosevelt is a student of poll
itics and he knows that after the con-
vention committees have been appoint
ed skilled manipulators can put thru
lot of things when the delegates are
not looking. He is apprehensive that
While the convention is shouting Itself
hoarse for Taft it may in an un-
guarded moment adopt platform THAI
will give some of the Roosevelt poll
cies a black eye. He proposes, there
fore. that trusted men shall be on
guard at every point of danger and the
men who are to do this picket duty are
now responding to summonses to the
White House. where they are undergo
ing careful coaching.
The president is far from satisfied
with what he got from congress at the
session just closed, but he believes he
got about all that was absolutely nee
essary for the purposes of the cam
paign. He will be satisfied II the plat
form will pledge the party to do those
things he urged which it failed to do at
the recent session.
AS has been stated before in this
correspondence, the president expects
to make two or three speeches in the
campaign, and for that reason he is
especially anxious the platform should
ibe one with which he was thoroughly
in accord. He would not care to go
before the people urging Tafts cleo
ton if Taft stood upon platform
that failed to measure up to the pro-
gressive idea of the Roosevelt admin
istration.
If the president is studying the cards
in the matter of the vice presidential
nomination he has not vet shown his
hand Stories that he and Taft have
decided on this or that man may be
taken with large allowance for the