The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-10-21
TAFT At CAPITAL
Candidate Has a Day as the
Presidents Guest.
THEY DISCUSS THE CAMP PAIGN
After Conference With the Chief
Executive the Former War
Secretary Says, "He's Not
q Pessimist."
THEY DISCUSS THE CAMPAIGN

Washington, Oct. 19.-'T expect to
be elected to the presidency" said
Judge Taft, standing i'm the White
House facing newspaper men who had
congregated to meet him after he had
spent the day as President Roosevelt's S
guest.
The answer was in response to a
question after brief discussion of
Mr.. Taft's recent tour through the
southern states, of which he had
spoken as pleasing experience Judge
Taft expressed delicacy in revealing
the issues which he and the president
had discussed, and when pressed for a
statement as to the presidents view
of the situation he would only say that
"the president is not pessimist."
"Nor ana l." he added.
They spent practically the entire day
in the company of each other and for
the most part with others excluded.
1t is known that they discussed most
of the subjects that have come to the
front since the campaign opened and
that the president offered some sug-
gestions on minor points which the
secretary will probably adopt.
Not only was the secretary invited
to breakfast, luncheon and dinner but
he was taken into the White House as
If 1t were his own home, and in addi-
tion Mr.. Roosevelt remained away
from his own church in order to ac-
company Mr. Taft to his church. He
also took him for a stroll after the
service and then crowned the day by
asking in number of political and
personal friends to meet the secretary
and go over the situation.
The president and Judge Taft at.
tended divine services at All Souls
Unitarian church.
The sermon was preached by Dr. U.
s. G. Pierce. the pastor of the church,
but It contained no reference whatever
to either of the two distinguished au-
ditOrs.
At the close of the service the con-
gregation remained seated long enough
to permit the president and the secre-
tary to pass out. They did not stop
to greet any one, but Immediately
started on a brisk stroll back to the
White House.
During the afternoon a number of
callers visited Mr.-Taft after the lunch
con guests had departed, among them
John Hays Hammond, president of the
National League of Republican Clubs.
About o'clock the president and
Mrs Roosevelt took leave of their
guest and went for a horseback ride,
leaving Mr. Taft in full possession of
Robert Oliver, assistant secretary of
war; Brigadier General Clarence Ed
wards, chief of the bureau of insular
affairs, and General Henry G. Corbin
called and paid their respects
He spoke to the newspaper men of
ing 1t had not been as good as he
would like, still 1t had served all his
needs. He referred with some appre-
hension to his prospective tour of New
York state and expressed determina-
tiOl not to make as many speeches In
small places as he has been in the
habit of making.
He was asked if he intended to
speak for Governor Hughes in New
York state. To this question he re-
piled that he believed he was going
to speak with Mr.. Hughes on several
occasions while he was in New York
state, the principal meeting when he
would thus speak with Mr.. Hughes
being the one in Madison Square Gar
den, New York city.