The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-22
Nominee Wants the Judgment and Criticism of the Pres-
 ident Upon Speech
12,OOO WORDS WILL BE
 USED INSTEAD OF $500
MT. Taft Has Turned Down Offer of a Real Live Elephant as Party
 Emblem and Mascot for the Coming Campaign.

Hot Springs Va. July 21.-President Roosevelt is to review in advance the speech Judge Taft will deliver in Cincil- nati next Tuesday
 T have decided to make this speech what may be my most important utter ance of the campaign. l have the high est regard for the Presidents Judgment regarding the subjects to be dealt with and keen appreciation of his wonderful ability for forceful expression I want his judgment and his criticism and this cannot be satisfactorily obtained at long range, so I have decided to go to Oyster Bay"
 This statement. made today by Mir. Taft, indicated his viewpoint regarding the announcement of his intended trip which he says is to be taken on his own. and not the Presidents initiative. He will leave here with Mir. Carpenter. his secre- tary, tomorrow night. He leaves New York for Cincinnati Friday afternoon. This, he says will give him two days there before the notification ceremonies are on him. Should Mrs Taft decide to be with her husband Tuesday she will go to Cincinnati direct from here.
 MT. Taft said today that the first inten- tion to have the utterance only a simple and formal acknowledgment of the mo- tfication had been finally abandoned in view of the growing importance and num- Der Of subjects which seemed to crowd themselves forward for consideration. The speech will doubtless contain approx imately 12,G00 words
 Pressure for one grand rally of Virginia republicans, to be held here before Mi. Taft quits the place in September for tho activities of the campaign, was applied anew today by a delegation of leading TO- publicans from many sections of the state headed by Representative sIenn of the Ninth district, who is also chairman of the republican state executive com mittee. Judge Taft looks with some favor on the rally and will upon his return from Cincinnati consider fixing a date in August for it's occurrence. He coincided With the view expressed by the delegation that good politics dictated that an active campaign be made not only in the Old Dominion, but also in North Carolina and Georgia.
 If l have any influence with the nn- tional committee Judge Taft is quoted as saying to the delegation, "a fight will be made in those states"
 MT. Taft received the following tele- gram today from Chairman Hitchcock of the national committee. and declined an elephant, offered by w. w. Powers of Rhode Island.
 Pike's Peak Summit Colo. .Julv 91 Hon. William H. Taft, Hot Springs. Va. Republican leaders from every state west of the Missouri river join with me in sending you greetings from top of Pikes Peak. We are on top now and expect to be on top when the returns come in next election
 FRANK HITCHCOCK"
 Riverside, R. l., July 2i Hon. w. fl. Taft, Hot Springs. Va:
 Would you accept free one of Powers hippedrome elephants as the party em- blem and mascot in fall campaign?
 You may remember seeing them at Cumberland, Md. Please wire reply my expense to me Providence. care Crescent park. W. w. POWERS
 The answer was:
 'I am very much obliged to you for your generous offer but am afraid your elephant Were I to accept it, would be an elephant indeed. You are very much bet ter able to take care of him than 1, and l hope that wherever he is he will con- stitute a mascot both for you and for me.
 ''W H. TAFT"