The Washington times., 1908-05-14
TAFT'S FOLLOWING
AROUSES PRESIDENT
Rumors About Money Inter-
eSts' Support May Result
in Dissatisfaction.
FEELS RESPONSIBLE
FOR NEXT PLATFORM
Conference at White House Before
Secretary's Departure Held
TO Settle Plans.

10 Settle Plans.
For a fortnight the story has been
an circulation, with increasing circum-
stance and detail, thar President Roose-
Welt has become displeased with the evil
dences, which have been brought 70 his
attention, that Secretary Tafts cam
paign has been drawn into too close re-
lations with certain large business
groups.
II is especially charged that the Presi-
dent has been dispIeased v 18th the signs
that Taft has been getting a too-ardent
Standard OIL support.
The charge has been made for months
that the War Secretary was getting,
and would get more and more openly as
the campaign progressed. the support
OF the Roclefeller-Standard Oil inter
csts. Indeed, it was frankly announced
by the Taft people at least TWO months
ago that Senator Aldrich had announced
his intention TO support Taft and had
SO informed the War Secretary Senator
Aldrich is looked upon in Washington
as the outward and visible sign OF the
tendencies OF the Rockefeller group,
doubtless because he is related 70 the
Kockefe!lers, and maintains close bust
ness connections with them.
Rockefeller Coming Around.
Originally it was rather assumed that
the Rockefeller interests were coming
around to support the War Secretary,
not because they liked him. but because
they thought ne was going 10 win, and
1hey wished to land with the winner.
The President himself accepted this ex-
plantation for some time. and was well
pleased with H. He even rejoiced, in
conversation with some OF his visitors
1hat Tart had become so certainly the
winner that even the rich maIefac-
tors were lining up for him, in order
TO be for the winner.
AT that stage of the proceeding, it is
now very apparent, the President was
not only without any suspicion that un-
due intimacy existed o. might develop
between the Taft movement and the
standard OH group but was disposed
10 regard IL as rather a good joke that
lne Indicators should be climbing
into the Tart wagon. He spoke OF this
aspect OF the campaign always as q
joke, at most proving that Taft was
everywhere regarded as a winner whom
nobody could stop,
Then another stage Of the campaign
developed, i'm which the TAFT managers
were brought under the charge OF hdV-
ing gone over completely 10 the Wall
Street interests This charge Esagan
TO be MADE in more detail and with
more circumstance. There was eSpe-
cially the painful incident Of certain
literature being sent out from the Col
Umbus Taft headquarters, which boosted
that Wall Street was lining up for Taft,
because it had found that he was all
right wasn't like Roosevelt at all;
could be relied upon as safe, sane ana
sound from the standpoint of business
interests.
Literature DisavOwed
This literature was promptly dis
avowed, but the disavowal caused a
good deal Of amusement. It was won
dered whether, II the literature hadn't
got into the wrong pew, IT would have
been Regulated. The charge was made
that in fact the use Of this kind OF liter
sture was exactly illustrative of the
Jauus-faced campaign the Taft man
agement was making; one face smiling
toward Wall Street, the other toward
the radical West. People out West got
uncertain which way the real Taft
was pointing. Evidences multiplied that
the very people whom President Roose-
Welt has made his pet enemies, were
fioclking TO the Taft standard.
This again was explained for time
on the theory that the maIetactors were
willing to accept not because they
liked him. but because they realized
mat II must DC elmer ne OF EkgSSeNe-N
and as between Taft and Roosevelt
they had no difficulty making the
choice: Anybody would be better than
Roosevelt
This explanation, in it's turn, served
a useful purpose for some time. But
more recently. It is declared, even the
President has come TO be dubious about
the situation. The story goes that he
has all confidence in his War Secretary
personally. but he knows as veteran
in public life, how well-nigh impossible
fl IS for any man 10 turn his back on
those who made him, who put up the
fight which won for him. who financed
his campaigns, and FhO saw him over
the hard places. If tho President should
get IL into his head that Taft was not
q strong enough man 10 hold firm
against these influences, there IS little
doubt among politicians in washington
that he would throw the War Secretary
overheard The President would not
1luence IN orde. 20 give the Presidency
10 a man who would disappotnt expec-
JatiOns.
Responsible for Taft.
In a fashion the President viii be re-
spOnslble for Taft who could never
have possibly been President but for the
Presidents influence. It IS, therefore
urged as quite natural that the PTesi-
dent should not be willing to risk any
responsibility for a man who might
finally turn up in the influence OF the
interests that the President has been
lighting
has been especially chagrtned 70 OBJ
q