The Washington herald., 1908-06-15


in the air
Il is distressingly complicated.
Ii does not matter a particle what any
body tells you. the Taft people, including
Charles p. Taft and Henry W. Taft, are
afraid Of Roosevelt stampede. The
Roosevelt specter is constantly before
them. day and night There is no reason
20 believe that Secretary Taft will not
be nominated on the first ballot by a
handsome majority. But he is not nomi-
mated yet. There is no reason in the
situation here.
TAFT has no strength Of his own. Left
10 himself. he would not have a dozen
delegates in this convention. 1t is all
Roosevelt, Roosevelt. To many of the
more thoughtful leaders rhe situation
concerning a Roosevelt stampede was
never more dangerous than il was to-day.
Charles P. Scott national committee
man from Alabama. man Thoroughly
familiar with all the workings Of the
Southern delegates. declared emphaticauv
to-day that the TAFT men IN all the
southern states were breaking away and
talking Roosevelt. The fact is all the
more important because the national
committee has completed its labors and
practically made up its temporary rell
Of the convention
Even Herrick Alarmed.
There is no more consistent friend in
this city OF Secretary Taft than former
Gov Myron T. Herrick. Of Cleveland.
whom Taft defeated for reelection as
governor by that untoward speech at
Akron. Yet. Mr.. Herrick is alarmed over
the Roosevelt sentiment Senator Dicl,
is in the same frame OF mind
It can be stated without fear OF the
slightest dispute that the majority Of
the Republican Congressman nominated
in Ohio and the Republican state officers
nominated at Columbus are very much
more for Roosevelt than. they are FOR
Taft, for the reason that they believe
Roosevelt can carry Ohio in November.
and that Taft's candidacy for President
would make the state doubtful
The same condition Of affairs was de-
veloped to-day concerning Indiana.
The Indianians had long conference
to-day which was attended by James Z.
Watson. candidate for governor; Senator
Hemenway. Frederick A. Simms. acting
chairman OF the State committee I'm place
OF James p. Goodrich: John Il. Bill
heimer. candidate for State auditor. and
a number Of candidates for Congress.
They all expressed themselves 10 the
effect that Vice President Fairbanks
should be renominated. out of the In
diana conference and out OF the talk az
TO the real situation in Ohio to-day was
taken up by those on the inside OF az
fairs by the thought that nobody should
be surprised here il the old ticket Of
Roosevelt and Fairbanks was renomi-
mated.
Confer over Speeches.
So delicate is the situation that there
have been conferences all day long on
the speeches which temporary chairman
julius Caesar Burrows. Of Michigan. and
permanent chairman Henry Cabot Lodge
Of Massachusetts. are 70 deliver in tho
convention. 1t was said by some after
the conferences that neither speech mot
with unanimous approval. and they would
IN all probability be subjected 10 some
revision. 1t was said that Lodges sneacb
was laudatory 10 the last degree Of
Roosevelt. and the conference saw in u
Just the stuff 20 precipitate a stampeda |
1t is Of the Marc Antony type OF speech
slightly reversed. Roosevelt is a snlendid
man. probably the most splendid this |
country ever produced.
One Of the secrets Of this convention |
began 10 percolate to-day. Il was TO the /
effect that Senator Lodge has in his |
possession letter from the President
in which he protests against q renor,i- 1
nation by the convention. When Senator
Lodge arrived here he was asked n he !
had such letter in his possession. Mr.
Lodge declined TO discuss IL.
Enthusiastic for Roosevelt
Former Representative Thomas "
Phillips. delegate-at-large from Pennsyl-
vania, who halls from Newcastle. made
the rounds Of the hotels to-day. shouting
FOR Roosevelt
He declared that he would vote for the
President on the first ballot. and also on
the last. and all between. He said that
some OF the delegates from the keystone
state would also support his candidate.
and he predicted that the result Of the
hrst ballot would be a surprise