The San Francisco call., 1908-12-23
ASKED ROOSEVELT
TO DISCARD TAFT
Friends of President Make PUB
lie Story of Pulitzer's All
legged Duplicity
Especial Dispatch TO The Call

lOPeCiot Di3pdtCh 10 ne SQtl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-Joseph Pu-
liter once sent an emissary to Presi-
dent Roosevelt urging him to throw
Taft overheard and announce his own
willingness to accept another term in
the White House. Pulitzer, according
to the statement, promised to support
the president for reelection If his sug-
gestion We're complied with. Roosevelt
would have nothing to do with the
proposition.
1t was with something like ghoulsh
glee that the friends of the president
made this story public today. They do
not fix the date when Pulitzer made
his peculiar offer, but intimate that it
was during the summer or autumn of
1907, after it had become known the
president was for Taft for his sue
cessor.
One of Pulitzer's confidential en-
ployes visited the president and in the
name of his chief rendered the support
of the World in the presidential cam
paign. About two years ago the World
editorially announced that Roosevelt
would inevitably be his own successor
in the White House, and it is said
Pulitzer was very much piqued when
the president turned him down cold'
and rejected his proffered support.
The presidents friends say this reve-
lation convicts the New York editor of
the rankest inconsistency. From Of
fering to help put republican presi-
dent back into the White House to
abuse him as a tyrant and as a hider of
public scandal was, they say, charac-
teristic Pulitzer leap within a year and
a half.
In administration circles it is said the
president had no relish for being put
back in the White House with Pulitzer
as his Warwick, and they believe the
presId snt's disgust with the editors
sudden change of front from seeming
friendship to bitter enmity explains
why Roosevelt went at Pulitzer so saw
agely in the canal scandal message.
Taft Will Visit Texas
AUGUSTA, Ga, Dec. 22.-President
elect W. H. Taft decided today to visit
the state of Texas at some convenient
time after his Inauguration. preferably
at the end of the special session of con-
gress which he is to call to revise the
tariff. While his itinerary for the visit
has not been arranged. he will make the
city of Dallas one Of the principal
points of the trip.
Thirty cities and towns of the Lone
Star State unite in a request for his
presence at any time he should choose
to come
But three southern cities beside Au-
gusta will see the president elect dur
ing his present stay in the southland
He will visit Atlanta al some time to be
fixed by delegation which will come
here next week. He will embark for
Panama from Charleston. S. c., and has
decided to land at New Orleans on his
return.
Taft said tonight that he had written
Frank II. Hitchcock, national repub-
lican chairman, to visit him here Hitch
cock is expected within few days
Senator Knox, who also is expected, has
as yet not Indicated when he will be
here
At a dinner Saturday night to be
given to Taft by Henry c. Maxwell it
has been planned that Taft shall meet
a number of federal southern office
holders, which will furnish Taft further
opportunity to extend his plan for
bringing the south into close touch
with his administration and with view
to impressing upon this section the ne
cessity of becoming more practical in
itS nOliticS