The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-01-10
TAFT "A CINCH
THINKS TEDDY
President Figures That War Sec
rotary Will Win ia Convention.
COUNTS ON 600 VOTES
Taft Makes His First Campaign Speech in
New YOrk--Address Devoted IN Part
to Placating Labor.

washington special says: Prest-
dent Roosevelt made the prediction
Friday to callers that Secretary Taft
will get 500 votes In the republican
national convention on the first ballot
and be nominated without contest.
This Is the first positive statement in
the shape OF forecast given out from
the white house, and is taken to mean
that the president is entirely satisfied
with the outlook. The friends of the
war secretary are elated. The president
went into the matter in detail and
showed where the secretary was go
ing to get on the first ballot 600 of
the $50 votes which will be represent
ed at the convention.
He has recently received advices
that make him confident that Secretary
Taft can count on the delegations from
the solid south, the solid west, many
OF the middle western states and one
half Of the New England states. He
thinks several votes from states sup
porting "favorite sons" will go to Taft
and that II Governor Hughes persists
in his present attitude, Secretary Taft
can count on one-half of New York. 1t
is known that every influence is being
exerted from the white house to insure
the nomination Of Taft.
Taft Speaks in New Lork.
For the first time since he became
recognized candidate for the repub-
lican presidential nomination, Secreta-
ry Of War William H. Taft, Friday
night, faced New York audience, set
forth in detail his stand on the peril
nent questions of the relative interests
and rights of labor and capital, and
in turn submitted to rapid fire at
tack from the audience, which quizzed
him keenly and in somewhat contro-
verslal spirit, according to the prac-
tice of the Peoples Institute, whose
guest he was The secretary proved
equally effective in attack and de-
tense.
Not less than 1000 persons, its ca
pacity. had crowded into Cooper Union
when police reserves were summoned
to clear the walks in front OF the build
ing, where a thousand or mroe had
congregated.
In his prepared address the secretary
pointed out the dependence one upon
the other of capital and labor. He de-
clared that great aggregations of prop
erly employed wealth widened the field
Of labor and were to be welcomed,
while improperly used wealth was to
be condemned. He advocated uinonism
in so far as sympathy and the result
ant cooperation made for the COM
mon good He said, in part:
The conclusion / seek to reach is
that the workingman who entertains
prejudice against the lawful capitalist
because he is wealthy, who votes with
JUNCTION for the men who are urging un-
just and unfair legislation against him,
and who make demagogic appeals to ac-
quire popular support in what they are
doing. is standing in his own light, is
blind to his own interests and is cu.-
ting OFF the limb on which he sits. 1t is
to the direct interest of the working
man to use careful discrimination in
approving or disappearing proposed
legislation of this kind and to base
his conclusion and vote on the issue
whether the provision is fair or just,
and not ON the assumption that any
legislation that subjects corporation
to a burden must necessarily be in the
interest Of the workingman'