Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-13
PLOT AGAINST TAFT
runs ON THE ROCKS
Scheme to Prevent Nomination by Contest in Convention
Is Spoiled as His Friends Have the Committee.
National Body viii See That Justice Is Done

plo.
Democratic senators and represen-
tatives from the south admit in pri-
: vate conversation that if President
Roosevelt were nominated again
they would fear for such states as
Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, North
Carolina and Florida They do not
: admit Roosevelt could carry them, or
any of them, but with the president
5 as the nominee they know they will
have the GREATEST fight they have
ever had to keep some of those
, states in line.
All the signs of the times are that
the south is not to choose the candi-
date. The northern republicans, who
} have to furnish the bulk of the cleo
toral votes if their ticket is to sue
coed, intend to name the ticket them
selves. Nine out of ten of them are
for Taft. Heavy are the probabili-
ties that even if the southern breth-
. rem convince their northern friends
} they can carry southern states for
Roosevelt, Taft will be nominated
just the same, barring accident, I'M
expected upheavals or phenomenal
changes of public sentiment during
the next three months. All the de.
velopments of public opinion and of
political alignment in the republican
ranks these days bring us back to the
! principle which was laid down in
oso dispatches three months ago:
"It will be Taft or Roosevelt, and
; probably Taft
Springfield, Mass.-While in
Springfield, Representative F. H. Gil
} lette of the Second Massachusetts
! district, made the following pro-
nouncement of his support of Secre-
tary Taft in an interview published
in the Springfield Republican:
Legislation is nominally the cen
o] ter of interest at the capitol, but I
S think the presidential possibilities
l are quite as much the subject of dis
: cussion and thought just now as leg
e islation., The situation is most in
: teresting, and the mystery in which
e some of the actors envelop them
/ selves rather adds to the excitement
d of the situation. There are the
: avowed supporters of the different
It candidates and then a group who
e thus far do not disclose any prefer.
n ences, except that they are not fol
t Taft. They are universally recogni
g zed as anti-administration, for thai
II is really what anti-Taft means. NJ
n one, so far as I know, opposes Taf1
it individually. Everyone admits hi
IS unfailing reasonableness, hi fascinat
D. ing personality. Beyond that I con
= slider him-and I have known hin
h intimately, the most conscientious
r unselfish public man I have come il
contact with He did not want t,
It run for the presidency; he preferreI
e seat on the supreme court, but b.
d was overpersuaded, and now, as al
lie ways, is manfully doing the dut
S, which has been pressed upon him.
l. t'But while Taft is UNIVERSAL
G liked and respected, the presiden
e. has in the capitol many bitter enen
as les. They are of two classes, -thos
1t who dislike his policies and thos
st who dislike him. The former ar
ic called the reactionaries. They reE
is resent the great monied interests c
Dr. the country, those who have in tn
Of past contributed largely the fund
lg for political campaigns, the grea
in railroad systems, Standard oil, insu
re ance companies, Wall street. The
Sc and their associates who have bee
at interfered with by the president
III policies are angry and resentful, an
es thirsting for revenge. They have a.
IN ways had great influence in Wasl
is ington, and the seat of their powt
ay has been the senate. They are OF
tie posed to the president and any on
e. he fafors, but they do not dare opel
I'd ly to show their hostility The
In know that the mass of voters ]
er against them and with him, tina
ne nothing could help more than thei
p open and avowed activity, and s
ce they are hiding in ambush, gettin
Id all the strength they can on any pre-
tn tense, throwing support to every Il
II. cal anti-administration contest an
es awaiting the turn of events
p I'm addition to this element, small
lg in numbers, but powerful in RI
I'd sources, in old associations and il
n political training and organization,
lie another group of men who are per
OF sonally resentful against the pres
Il dent and who seek revenge b