The Washington herald., 1908-02-08

Headquarters for real political fighting
in the Seuth are now running full blast
at the Capitol
Senator William Murray Crane. Of
Massachusetts. is virtually in command
Something of the tremendous work the
allies have been doing and Of the greater
work that IS planned was disclosed yes
terday
They have been anticipating Secretary
Taft's every move in the South and West
Where he sent man, they had better
man on the ground first. When the Pres
ident and the Secretary called in some
trusted one. for counsel and conference,
the allies have been informed.
Sometimes they have been caught nap
ping. a few days ago they sent for a
Representative in Congress from a bor-
der State. They asked him TO try his
hand at organizing negro voters in the
South. Their request was a little late.
Secretary TAFT had seen this Representa-
tive first, and enlisted him under the Taft
banner.
The Florida convention Thursday was
the first clash in which the workers from
the rival headquarters in Washington had
chance TO see the whites of each 9th
eTs' eyes. The President is supposed 10
have had the Florida preparations for
Taft under his personal charge. and
therefore the allies were anxious to mix
il up there good and hard"
PIeused by Florida Result.
They profess a keen satisfaction over
the outcome for they claim that the
regular delegates were uninstructed. But
they also say that every delegate desig-
mated by the pro-Taft convention was
identified With the administration. and
that this proves the use Of Federal pa
tronage in Tafts behalf State Chairman
Henry 5. Chubb. Of Winter Park.
and National Committeeman James y
Coombs. of Apalachicola. named as two
of the Taft deiegateS-at-large are Presi-
dent Roosevelts patronage referees for
the State. The others are Federal office
holders
The Taft lieutenants here show concern
over the situation. They propose TO meet
the ISSUE quickly and in force. After
several conferences at the White House
n ll.
announced that First Assistant Postmas-
ter General F. r. Hitchcock. of Massa-
chusetts, would resign and go with the
Taft boom. He has been receiving sal
airy Of 5000 a year Probably his efforts
viii be directed in considerable part to-
ward winning over recalciuant national
committeeman in the South
Woxa IN Got go,,u.Etfaa,,on
The strategic Importance of having
majority of the national committee is
now fully realized. Without an admin
istration majority in that committee.
which makes up the temporary rolls of
the convention, il seems unlikely that
Secretary Taft can be nominated. Sec /
retary Cortelyou, whose political right /
arm Mr.. Hitchcock has been. is supposed /
10 control many of these committeeman I
in the South.
The programme for contests appeared |
graver than ever yesterday. when it was /
stated on authority that Senator Foraker /
had plans ali laid for leading a contest /
ing big four delegation from Ohio
The programme OF the anti-Taft forces. !
as demonstrated at St. Augustine. is to 1
send uminstructed delegates or 20 elect
cOntesting delegations in ali Southern
States where it is believed undue admin
istration influence has been used 70 OBJ
tain Taft victories. As ID result of what
occurred at St. Augustine there was a
renewal yesterday of the allegations that
the Federal administration had been US
ing patronage and other means of infiu-
eace TO have the convention indorse
Tafts candidacy
II is expected that one al least Of the
several resolutions already prepared call
ing for an investigation of the charges
that the appointing power of President /
Roosevelt was being used to bring sup
port to the Taft cause will now be pre-
sented in Congress.
Body Blow for Taft.
Around the Capitol Yesterday prominent
Republicans were asserting that the
Taft candidacy was given a body blow
at St. Augustine. Congressman inter
ested in the Cannon. Knox. and Foraker
booms received word from ST. Augustine
that the Taft forces had been routed at
the very beginning Of the convention. and
finding themselves unable TO cope with
the forces of their opponents. had or
ganized another convention, which elected
delegates-at-large and instructed for Taft.
1t was pointed out as significant that
three of the Taft delegates-at-large are
Federal oficeholders. while the fourth is
the national committeeman.
Representative Mckinley. of Illinois
manager OF the Cannon candidacy said
that at o'clock Thursday he had re- {
ceived a telegram from a responsible
prominent Republican who attended the Z
St Augustine convention. reading as fol- '
lows, our people have controlled regu-
lar State convention and elected four {
delegates" Half an hour later Mr.. Nc J
kinley said he had received this message
from ST. Augustine: "OmcehoIders I
holted. held separate convention. and in I
structed for Taft" kilograms indicating {
that the boilers were Taft men came to
representatives Of other candidates
See Victory for Cannon,
There is a disposition among Repub- .
hcan politicians to view the results of
the Florida convention as Cannon vic
tory. While nothing has come to light ?
10 show that those opposed 10 Taft have ?
decided on any one candidate for the NOM 5
inaion in order to prevent Taft from f
tciag named as the party's standard
bearer, the gossip is that Cannon is the =
choice most likely 10 be made by the a
managers Of tIe "favorite sons, and al
ready there is talk that George b. Cortel- +
you has been picked by the Cannon people h
for Vice President on the ticket with +
the Illinois man. +
The fact. now developed, that there viii y
be contending delegations from all mr.
nearly ali the Southern States, one dele \
cation for TAFT and the other un!nstructed. L
has made it plain that a big battle for a
the control Of the national convention n