The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-19
TAFT EXPECTS
 TO WIN OUT Predicts His Election to
 Reporters. TALKS OF SOUTHERN TRIP Repub Candidate Spends Sunday
 at White House. Taft And The President Conferred Over The Political situation And suR- sestions Were offered Fer
 The Campaign.

Washington. Oct. 1s-.I expect to be elected fo the presidency" said Judge Taft standing in the east room of the White House this evening, facing thir- ty or forty newspaper men who had congregated to meet him after he had spent the day as President Roosevelt.s s guest.
 The answer was in response to a question after brief discussion of Mir Taft's recent tour through the south ern states. of which he had spoken as pleasing experience With refer ence to that tour, he would only say that he thought 1t would only open way for Improving coming cam paigns. When pressed for a statement as to the Presidents view of the situa ton. he would only say that "the Presi- dent is not pessimist."
 Nor am I, he added
 While not specially arranged for that purpose, the secretary found in his stop here. convenient opportunity for his conference with the President. It is known that they discussed, although in purely informal way, most of the subjects that have come to the front since the campaign opened and that the President offered some suggestions on minor points which the secretary probably will adopt.
 It was the evident intention of the President to take advantage of the oc- casion to emphasize to the country his interest. personal and political. in Mir. Taft
 Not only was the secretary invited to breakfast. luncheon and dinner. but he was taken into the White House as if 1t were his own home and in addi- tion. Mir. Roosevelt remained away from his own church in order to ac- company Mir. Taft to his church. He also took him for stroll after the ser- vices and then crowned the day by asking in a number of political and personal friends to go over the situa- tion. MT. Tafts special train arrived at the union station early today from Richmond. At o'clock he rose, dress- cd. had his throat sprayed and took an automobile alone to the White House. where at g o'clock he breakfasted with the President and his household For almost two hours after the breakfast, Mir. Taft and the President conferred matters.
 The President and Mir Taft attend ed Divine service at All Souls UnI4 tarian church. Arriving on foot five minutes in advance of the opening of the service, they passed quietly l through the crowd which had congre- gated on the outside and took seats to- gether in the audience. The sermon was preached by Dr. U S. c. Pierce. pastor of the church..
 Text of Sermon.
 Mir. Pierce took for his text the third and fourth verses of John 13, and he | sought through his discourse to show that 1t was Jesus mission to exalt ser vice, however menial and common nla ha n$ &Aa congregation remained until the Presi- dent and Secretary had passed out They immediately started on a brisk stroll back to the White House. President Roosevelt had invited to take luncheon with himself and Mir. Taft number of former members of the cabinet, among them Senator Philander c. Knox, Pennsylvania, for l mer Attorney General: and Associate Justice wm. H. Moody. former Attor- ney General. Secretary of State Elihu Root also was present.
 During the afternoon. a number of callers visited nar. rart arter the lun- cheon guests had departed.
 About s o'clock the President ana Mrs Roosevelt took leave of their dis- ttnguisheJ guest and went for horse hack ride. leaving MT. Taft in full pos- session of the White House for the afternoon.
 Al b.3O O CiOCkF Uy AsAA. Taft met the newspaper correspon- dents in the east room.
 "Boys," he said. 'I haven't much to tell you. You see I am here. l nave had two meals in the White House and I expect to have another
 "Is that alI2' some one asked.
 This question broke the ice and from this time forth there was quite free exchange of questions and answers. MT. Taft declined to go into details concerning his interview with the President "Our talk has dealt large ly with "reminiscences. but We nave discussed the campaign to some exM'nt. We have not discussed the future eabi- net so much as past cabinets"
 He spoke of his voice and said that notwithstanding 1t has not been as good as he would like. still 1t had served all his needs. Speaking of his southern tour. Mir. Taft remarked that he was greatly pleased with the re- eeption he received in all cities in the south which he visited