Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-19
Taft and Cannon.

Judge Taft and Mr. Sherman conferred
together at Hot Springs yesterday. and
in dispatch on the subject appears this
paragraph;
Mr. Sherman is said to have devoted
part of the interview to pointing out to
Mr. Taft the impracticablity of an at
tempt to defeat Cannon for Speaker. ana
to have promised. on Cannons behalf,
that the Speaker. if reelected. would DO
everything possible to advance the pur-
poses of the Taft administration. Mr..
Taft listened without comment.
There must be a mistake here. We may
all be certain that Judge Taft has no
thought OF organizing the next House.
and Mr.. Cannon no thought of bargaining
for support in his candidacy to succeed
himself as Speaker. Nor is 1t likely that
Mr. Sherman upon his own motion would
open any such negotiations. All three are
men of experience, well advised of the
limitat ions of office, and the divisions of
official duties Each man knows his own
side, and the propriety and necessity Of
shinnying it.
But this is not the first time the sug-
gestion has been made that Judge Taft
should use the power of the presidency in
the affairs of the next House. Last fall,
while the campaign was at it's hottest and
some doubt existed as to the attitude of
the east. Judge Taft was asked by an
eastern newspaper what his position
would be toward Mr.. Cannon in case of
his election. Several western candidates
for Congress had promised to oppose Mr..
Cannon for reelection to the speakership,
and the candidate for President was in
effect advised to come out himself with an
anti-Cannon declaration.
Judge Taft of course made no reply.
He was not d candidate for Congress, but
for the presidency. He had no thought
of meddllng with what in case of his
success would not come within the scope
of his duties. He would organize his ad-
ministration. and the House would Or
ganize itself. AS he would not permit
the House to choose the members of
his cabinet, the House was not to be ex-
pected to permit him TO choose it's
Speaker. He would be responsible for his
advisers, and the House for its officers.
That is the situation today. Judge Taft
is not responsible to or for the House.
nor the House to or for him. In due sea-
he will choose and nominate the
members Of his cabinet and the Senate,
not the House. will pass upon the selec-
tions. The House will have no voice in
the matter whatever 1t may be that
not a single member of the next House
will be consulted on the cabinet subject.
In due season the next House will meet
and choose It's officers. The President has
no call to take a hand. No slate will be
expected from the White House, and none.
we may all be sure, will be sent in Judge
Taft gives little evidence of feeling
himself to be, or wanting to become, the
whole thing" anybody in the country.
That the new President and the new
House should get along we'll together is
highly desirable. 1t is sort of duty to
the party and the country. indeed \ row
between them would block legislation Of
much Importance. But to merge the ex-
ecutive and legislative departments. MAX
ing the President supreme over both,
would be the worst thing that could hap
pen, although there seem to be men
anxious to see the thing brought about
They would run TO the White House for
everything.