The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-12
PLEA FOR HARMONY IS
 HAVING GREAT EFFECT
Taft Is the Magnet Which Is Now Drawing All the Party Leaders To Accept His Nomination To
 Exclusion of Others.

" hington, May n.-Republican lead e, Congress are now working earn z4stIy or, plan to prevent any break at the Chicago convention that might dls- rupt harmony and endanger defeat at the polls in November. Conferences have been held at both ends of the capitol among such men as Senators Aldrich, Hale. Allison and Crane and Representa- lives Payne and Sherman of New York; Tawney of Minnesota, Jenkins Of WIS consin and Smith of Iowa. In fact, meet ings of small groups from this list nave been of almost daily occurrence Tor more than a week. They have been directed to one end-a nomination on the hrst ballot, by which they mean William Il. Taft While no definite result has been reached they believe their efforts will be successful.
 Most of the men figuring prominently in this movement were numbered against Taft early in the campaign, but party policy and the necessity for harmony, which have been manifest in republican ranks since the disastrous results of the Blaine -Conkling feud, have awakened demand that personal desires be subordi- mated to the will of the majority. That the efforts of the group of leaders back of the harmony movement have not been barren of results is indicated by the fact that to a number of the conferences have been called such men as Senators Hem inway, Penrose, Cullom, Hopkins and De pew and Representatives Parsons and vreeland of New York, Boutell and Mann
 na1 an Of IL vania, Watson and Landis of Indiana, and others who are backing the candi- dacies of Vice President Fairbanks, Speaker Cannon, Senator Knox or Gov ernor Hughes.
 Third Term Ghost.
 No attempt is made to disguise the fact that the real impetus to such concerted movement in the interest of Secretary Taft is the refusal of Roose- welt sentiment to be snuffed out and the danger of such sentiment spreading to an extent that must be difficult to con- trol at Chicago. At the same time, it is said. the movement is not hostile to Pres :dent Roosevelt, who admittedly occupies the position of command of the Taft forces. He has made it perfectly plain that nothing can come from the calls for his renomination, which have been made in Texas, Utah and California, as he IS prepared to reject proffer of support, no matter how extended.
 The uttermost limit of endeayor of the republican leaders who are striv- ing to harmoniZe party differences IS to eliminate all candidates for the nomination except Secretary Taft, but it is not anticipated that all of the candidates will readily agree to this proposition. Supporters of Senator Knox particularly are said to oppose the plan and one of the other candi- dates is holding out strongly that there is no immediate demand for agreement. At the same time there are leaders in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and York who are parties to the movement f with the Knowledge of the favorite son \ candidates from those states
 M Taft Has the Votes.
 ! The selection of Secretary Taft as the beneficiary of harmony action is made because of the fact that he is the only candidate who had sufficient {instructed votes to promise an early nomination.
 Republican leaders concede that their majority in the House is likely to be materially reduced at the fall election. and they fear that unless all factions lare brought together before the .i- gaco convention they might lose their majority altogether. One of the side plans being discussed favorably is the renomination of MT. Fairbanks as vice president on the ticket with Secre- tary Taft which they assert would remove Indiana from the doubtful col umn and make it safely republican. It is believed also that with the republi- can forces solidly aligned Taft could easily carry Illinois and the harmon ized are willing to concede Cannon's reelection as speaker by republican House. There is movement on al- ready to bring about the renomination of MT. Hughes as governor of New York and an effort will be made 10 |, bring Secretary Taft and Senator For aker together, which, it Is thought, will make Ohio safe. No efforts have been spared to keep these plans confidential. but there are too many persons cogni-