The sun., 1908-02-02
FOR THIRD TERN
sNOCHINGE FOPINION AS TO THE
y MEANING or HIS MESSAGE.
i n Is shared Alike by Friends and Enemies
oT the PresIdent-DenaOcraGs Say the
Message Is an Endorsement Of Bryan
lsnl and VIII Aid In Bryans Election.


psSnifcant phase of present political con-
ditiOns Is found In the fact that no Repub-
loan Of prominence in Congress has come
forward with the declaration that Presi-
dent Roosevelt's special message Of yes
tsrday was written for any other than a
partisan or personal purpose. No credit
IN given TO the President by his party's
executive leaders for motives aside from
those Of a political nature. While opinion
continues to vary as to the circumstances
which inpelled Mr.. Roosevelt to pen this
most remarkable document. there seems
to be general unanimity in the view that
its object was to produce a marked effect
upon the deliberations OF the forthcoming
national convention Of the Republican
party.
Following a. the message did close on
tho heels OF the mysterious suggestion to
critics Of Mr.. Roosevelt's policies that II
the Chicago convention did not nominate
Taft on the first ballot il would be COM
PEELED to nominate Roosevelt on the sec
ondi it was impossible for Senators and
Representatives to escape the conviction
that Mr.. Roosevelt's hot shot was intended
10 emphasize that suggestion. wide
spread feeling exists In the capital that the
message was born Of the Presidents anger
over the manner in which he has been
attacked by prominent men and in the
press since tho recent money panic, but
that its development brought the cOnvic-
tion that he might kill two birds with one
stone: Slap back at his critics and do
little eleCtioneering for the Roosevelt poll
cies and for Roosevelt OF Taft.
Yesterday the most common interprota-
tion Of the message among Senators and
Representatives was that it revived tho
chance that the President would be re-
nominated To-day there is general ad-
herence to this idea. Having had twenty
four hours TO think over Mr.. RoOsevelt's
resentful production and perhaps to have
obtained a tip from the proper quarter.
Republican Congressman were inclined
this afternoon and this evening 20 the
opinion that the message was intended to
strengthen Secretary Tafts candidacy and
that Il is found to have the contrary eiect
of iniuring him greatly.
One Republican senator. a skilled politi
clan and out and out Taft man. with means
Of getting inside information from the
Administration in regard to the manage
ment Of tho Taft boom. declared to-day
that the message was intended by its
attack on corporations and wealth to help
MIR. Taft with the labor unions. which
have been inclined to look askance at the
Secretary Of Wars candidacy on account
OF his judicial decisions in labor cases.
Whether that was the Presidents purpose
or not. the fact remains that many OF thuse
who have backed his policies and given
him credit for disinterested motives in
all that he has done to have tNem adopted
are saying privately that he took advan-
tage Of constitutional privilege to help
the Gauss Or the Presidential candidacy OF
his choice
However coldly the message was re-
ceived by Republicans in Congress hun
dreds Of people away from Washington
liked il so well that they sent telegTams
OF congratulation TO the President These
helped to dispel any damper that may have
been put on Mr. RoOsevelt's spirits by his
failure TO awaken enthusiasm among his
party's Legislators and he found additional
cause Of qualification in the kind words
poured into his ears to-day by statesmen
rho found that duty dem nded that they
call at the White House. Representative
Bourke Cochran Of New York, who is at
present classed az a Democrat, spoke hon
eyed words as he received the Presidential
glad hand. Afterward he said:
Il was delighted with the message and
told the President So II was definite.
Ii said something Ii was devoid Of gem
eTalities II was unlike the speech Of Gov.
Hughes in some respects. especially in the
latter's treatment OF the tariff question.
Gov Hughes declares for a commission
70 consider revision Of the tariff. To my
mind that means simply indefinite post
pOnement Of action on the tariff question"
Then came Senator Jonathan Bourne.
gladdest Of them all. with this: The mes
sage is the greatest public document since
the Declaration Of Independence and It
means the denomination of President Roose-
welt beyond all question"
The Democrats are jubilant also, for they
regard the message as an Endorsement OF
Bryanism and are asserting that il will
help brin about Bryan's election whether
Roosevelt Is nominated or not.
Some oi the "epublicans in Congress
particularly =. ths 9Ouse. are much con-
cerned over a sus, icio that unless Congress
undertakes TO ena,. som of the measures
suggested in the Pro-. dent special mes
sage Mr.. Roosevelt Will .Um1ard the Cap
itol with more messages Of the same charac-
ter in an attempt to arouse the people and
bring from them demand that the Presi-
dents suggestions be adopted. Nothing
hls appeared, however, 10 justify any be-
lief that Mr.. Roosevelt has any such inten-
ton in view or that there is warrant for a
rumor that IL Congress- adjournS without
putting the Roosevelt policies into the
form Of law he will call an extra session.
The Congress leaders have determined
upon a legislative programme which enl-
braces very little WORK. Financial legisla-
ton is proDable and there is reason 10 be-
leve that the employers liability law,
recently declared unconstitutional, will be
Teenacted in terms that will PASS the scru-
tiny Of the Supreme Court.
The President in his special messaR q.
urged that ths law b. reenaoted, tnt II
cid not need his urging to make ConEr,ss
take notice Of this tn asurs. Reyond these
special features not much legislative work
o3lsije of the necessary appropriation bills
~ contemplated, and ia spite of runiors
that Mr. Roosevelt will insist that his views
he placed on the statute books the Congress
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