Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-08
Republican Leaders Accept
the "Steam Roller Man."
HOT SPRINGS CONFERENCE
Debating the Selection Of National
Chairman.
NO VOTE CAST IN OPPOSITION
Judge Taft Doing His Best to Be.
store Harmony Among tho
Dissatisfied. ="

036S0tlbuoUs
Special Dispatch to Tho Star,
HOT SPRINGS. Va, July 6.-Frank II,
Hitchcock. former first assistant post
master general, ono Of the managers tor
William H. Taft in the campaign for the
nomination for the presidency by the
republican party. was today unanimeusiy
chosen chairman Of tho republican ma
tional committee. The Announcement
was made shortly after f;S0 O'Clock this
| afternoon. following conference be-
tween Judge Taft and the marbers of
| tho executive committee OF the national
| republican COMMITTEES.
When the subcommittee Of the national
committee went into session here at IL
o'clock this morning 1t was q practical
| certainty that 1t would name Frank II,
Hitchcock. "the steam roller man." as ma
tionai chairman.
The chances were that the treasurer
| ship would 20 to Representative William
| b. Mckinley of Champaign, III, Until
| the arrival OF William Nelson Cromwell,
the New York lawyer. this morning, 1t
looked as IL Mckinley. was tho only possi-
bility. Mr.. Cromwell. however. had a
|
close the name Of tho candidate until the
committee went into session.
| It is known. however, that Mr.. crem=
we'll Is hero representing CoFneIius N,
Bliss. the present treasurer OF the ma
tional committee, and that In presenting
candidate ne was acting for Mr.. Bliss
or the old organization Of tho national
committee.
| ra ev~aA
ticians here before the subcommittee went
into session was that tho suggestion OF
a new name for tho treasurersitp would
not atfect the chances OF the Illinois rep.
resentative for the place. Mr.. McKinley's
availability. 1t was pointed out, has boen
discussed here for several days, and q
decision had practically been reached to
/ name him.
II Mr.. Bliss or eastern republicans had
q caHdtdate. Tiny. might. It was said,
have presented HIS name earlier Too
much times had already been wasted In
the organization OF the national COM
opportunities for internal squabbles
could not be tolerated. Tho state Of
mind Of the subcommittee was In mark
ed contrast to that shown at the first
after the Chicago convention. There
such intense feeling was shown at the
suggestion Of Hitchcock for chairman
that Judge Taft. although he had the
votes to force the steam roller mans
election, asked for postponement Of
| the vote, and Hitchcock himself an
| nounced his withdrawal from the field
as candidate. Hitchcock was actuated
| by desire to relieve Judge Taft from
embarrassment. but it was we'll known
| when Hitchcock issued his renunciation
that he would reconsider it II the offer
came to him under favorable conditions.
Seeking for Harmony.
But it was different here today-at
| least, on the surface. Before the Sub
committeeman went into session there
| was nothing but talk of harmony.
| Judge Taft was to have his way in
everything. and the allies were to sup
port him to the finish. In fact. the har-
mony was so thick that the. politicians
| decided to have a dinner here tonight
to celebrate it. Representatives of all
| the allies-Representative Burke. who
| nursed the Knox boom; Representative
Mckinley, who was head and front Of
the Cannon boom, and Senator Hemen-
| way who headed the Fairbanks forces
at Chicago-will attend. and Judge
Taft himself, with some of the sup
porters. will join in the love feast.
| OF course. this harmony pie has been
baked largely by Conciliator Taft. In
| comforting with the allies men here IN
the last few days he has shown the
same skill in converting trouble into
peace that he did first in the Philippines
and later in Cuba and Panama.
But there is another explanation Of
the harmony program. The aiiies are go
| ing to put all the responsibility for the
campaign up to Roosevelt 1t is his show
all the way through. and they are going
to let him carry the load. II there Is any
fault found In the end Roosevelt wants
| Hitchcock, and SO they are willing to let
| him have him. The allies also were ac-
tuated in their desire for harmony by the
| campaigns for state officers which are
confronting them.
Twofold Treasurership.
One Of the questions, and probably the
most important, which came UP before
the subcommittee was the advisability
of making one man treasurer of both the
republican national and the congressional
! committees.
Mckinley is now treasurer of the con-
| gressional committee, and he said before
the meeting that he did not want to re-
tire from that office. His attitude on this
question reflects the wishes OF Speaker
Cannon. who Is opposed to having his
congressional committee organization
broken up.
| The Speaker wants James 8. Sherman,
the vice presidential nominee. to continue
as chairman of the congressional COM
mittee, but Mr.. Sherman is inclined to
drop it. The selection of chairman for
| the congressional committee Is also being
CONSIDERED To-Day
| Besides William Nelson Cromwell.
| Postmaster General George Won L. Meyer
| is here in an advisory capacity. 1t is not
unlikely that Frank H. Hitchcock will be
! here before night. The members of the
| subcommittee are: Frank B. kellogg OF
Minnesota; William L. Ward of New
York; Powell Clayton of Arkansas; Will
| liam E. Borah of Idaho; Charles Nagle
| of Missouri Frank /. Lowden of
| Illinois Myron T. Herrick of Ohio and
| Duncan Of North Carolina. Others here
today are Senator Hemenway of Indiana,
Representative James F. Burke of Pitts
burg the Knox boomer: Representative
| Theodore E. Burton of Ohio; James A.
| Watson, republican nominee for governor
Of Indiana. and Representative Mckinley
| of Illinois.
Charles F. Brocker of Ansonia, Conn.
left today for Hot Springs at the special
! invitation of Judge Taft to attend the
| conference of republican leaders.
When the subcommittee went into ses-
sion at II o'clock Mr.. Taft asked for an
adjournment Of an hour to enable him to
| finish some conferences which he was
holding with members of the subcommit-
| tee who arrived this morning.
Mr.. Cromwell said after q talk with
Judge Taft that he believed the Bliss pro-
gram would be carried out by the subcom-l
mite. This program contemplated The