Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-20

Mrs. Taft Reads Bulletins.
Mrs. Taft occupied the secretarys
swivel chair at his huge fiat topped
desk and read bulletins aloud as they
came in. Miss Taft dainty college
miss, clad in immaculate white linen,
roamed about the room chatting with
Gen. Edwards, Gen. Bell, James Buck
lin Bishop, editor of the Canal Record;
Jimmy" Williams, one of the secre-
tary's boom agents, who off1ciated at
long distant telephone in the corner,
and other favored individuals of the
inner circle, who were constantly in
and out of the room
The newspaper correspondents left
in Washington to do this end' of the
the war college, which he was to in
spect at 5 o'clock with Secretary
Root, did he give himself up to sober
contemplation of what was coming
over the wires from the convention
city.
AS the waning afternoon sun poured
its rays into his Office, Respondent
with heavy red hangings and gilt
framed pictures of the secretarys pre-
decessors In Office, Secretary Taft
lolled COMFORTABLY in great armchair
convention gathered In droves in an
outer room, where Secretary Taft's
secretary, Fred Carpenter, reigned
with telegraph operator and pro
duced bulletins on what was clicked in
from Chicago.
Everybody hung breathlessly on the
bulletins showing progress of the bal
lot. One copy was Immediately passed
in to Secretary and Mrs. Taft and the
other copy was tossed to the CORE
spordents.
Feared Big Stampede.
Previous to the ballot bulletins, how
ever, there was just little suspense
and apprehension over the demonstra-
ton that threatened to develop for
Roosevelt out of the LaFollette ova-.
ton, and 1t was notable fact that
Just after the telegraph instruments
had conflded the news that things
were plainly running Roosevelt's way
as regarded the demonstration Gen.
Edwards emerged from the inner
room and announced that long dis.
lance phone assurance had just come
in to the effect that the demonstration
was entirely La Follette's and those
welt stampede.
| It did not take long for the ballot
news to decide matters, and then the
throng fingered no longer in the outer
Office, but gave It's yell of greeting and
| dashed in on the secretary.
Men Beat Family to Him.
Mrs. Taft and Miss Helen had no
opportunity to demonstrate on Mr..
Taft just exactly how they felt toward
him on the instant they got news that
his nomination was safe, for throng
of officers and correspondents was up
on the secretary in trice and he
started handshake fest that lasted
fifteen minutes.
| Mrs. j. Franklin Bell and Gen. Darl-
| ington's wife were in the room when
| the final bulletin came and were
among he first to congratulate Secre-
| tary Tafe. Mrs. Taft stood looking
with pride at the insular bureau clerks
filed in and offered their congratula-
lions.
Secretary Root was the first cabinet
official to show up and he and Sec
rotary Taft exchanged most hearty
hand shake and Fluctuations Secre-
airy Cortelyou was hurrying over from
the treasury department to Mr.. Taft's
Office when the latter emerged, riding
whip In hand, and an immense outing
cap on his head bound for the war col
lege with Gen. Edwards.
There was meeting in the hall
which lasted but few moments, Secre-
| tary Cortelyou taking occasion to de
liver his hearty congratulations.