The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1908-05-12
LINING UP FOR TAFT
Republican Leaders Plan to
Name Him on First Ballot.
WORKING FOR HARMONY
Fear the Contest at Chicago May
Disrupt the Party and Cause Defeat
at the PoIls-Roosevelt Sentiment
Won't Down. j


Washington, May 12.-Republica1
leaders in congress are now working
earnestly on a plan to prevent any
break at the Chicago convention tna'
might disrupt party harmony and en-
danger defeat at the polls in NoVem
her. Conferences have been neio
among such men as Senators Aldrlch
Hale. Allison and Crane and Repre-
sentatives Payne and Sherman, OF
New York; Tawney of Minnesota;
Jenkins, of Wisconsin, and Smith. OF
Iowa, in fact, meetings OF small groups
from this list have been of almos'
daily occurrence for more than
week. They have been directed to one
end-a nomination on the first ballot
by which they mean William H. TAFT
While no definite result has beer
reached, they believe their efforts viii
be successful.
Most of the men figuring prominent
ly in this movement were numbered
against Taft early in the campaign
but party policy and the necessity foi
harmony, which have been manlfes'
In the Republican ranks since the dis
astrous results of the Blaine-ConkilI
feud, has awakened a demand ina
personal desires be subOrdinated tt
the will of the majority. That the ef
forts of the group of leaders back o.
the harmony movement have not beer
barren of results is indicated by the
Of confer
ences have been called such men as
Senators Hemenway, Penrose, Cullom
Hopkins and Depew and Representa-
tiyes Parsons and Vreeland, OF New
York: Boutelle and Mann, of Illinois
Burke and Dalzell, of Pennsylvania;
Watson and Lands, of Indiana. and
others who are backing the candida
: cfes of Vice President Fairbanks
Speaker Cannon, Senator Knox OF
Governor Hughes.
No attempt is made to disguise the
fact that the real impetus to such 6
concerted movement in the interest Of
Secretary Taft is the refusal OF the
Roosevelt sentiment to be snuffed out
and the danger of such sentiment
spreading to an extent that might b.
difficult of control at Chicago. At the
same time, it is said, the movement is
not hostile to President Roosevelt, who
admittedly, occupies the position OF
command in the Taft forces. He has
made it perfectly plain that nothing
can come of the renewed calls for his
denomination, which have been made
In Texas, Utah and California, as he
Is prepared to reject any proffer OF
support, no matter how extended.
The uttermost limit of endeavor OF
Republican leaders who are striving
to harmonic party differences is to
eliminate all candidates for the nomi
nation except Secretary Taft. but it is
not anticipated that all of the candi
dates readily will agree to this prop
osition. Supporters of Seantor Knox
particularly are said to oppose the
plan, and one of the other candidates
Is holding out strongly that there i:
no immediate demand for agreement
At the same time, there are leaders n
Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania an2
New York who are parties to the
movement.
The selection of Secretary Taft a.
the beneficiary of the harmony fac
ton is made because of the fact that
he is the only candidate who has suf
ficient instructed votes to promise an
early nomination.
Republican leaders concede that
their majority in the house is likely
to be materially reduced at the fall
election. and they fear that unless all
factions are brought together before
the Chicago convention they might
lose their majority altogether.