The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-03-03
Sincerely for Taft and Believes
Taft Will Win.
Possibilities That Enemies of Admin.
istration VIII Force President
Into Nomination
WALTER wELLMAN'S OPINION.
Walter wellman in Chicago Record.
IInraII

talk? That which was expected has
come TO pass--there is a distinct re-
vival OF speculation as to the posi-
billy OF making Mr.. Roosevelt the
candidate again. Editorials are print
ed, interviews given, petitions circu-
lated, with that end in view. William
X. Hearst and other well-informed
public men continue to assert their
belief that Mr.. Roosevelt will be fore
ed to run. Southern Republicans de-
clare that so great is The hold the
president has upon the people of their
section he could carry several south
ern states against Bryan. Nebraska
Republicans wanted TO take tle lead
in forcing the presidents hand. Other
Republicans talk of the president as
the one candidate who would be alb
solutely sure TO sweep the country
against Mr.. Bryan or anyone else the
opposition party could name.
What are the views OF Mr.. Roose-
welt himself as to all this?
The president believes Judge Taft
will be nominated by the Republican
national convention. He believes the
nomination will be made on the first
ballot. He believes Taft Is not only
to the great majority of
the Republican party. but that he is
distinctly and rapidly growing as a
strong public leader.
President Roosevelt believes there
Is now much less danger of his own
domination than there was three
months ago. He believes there is less
danger than there was for the simple
reason that Taft has grown so rapidly
and is so admirably suited to the pc
culiar situation which now exists in
the Republican party.
lie believes. further, that whllc-Taft
has grown on bis own merits, and on
general recognition of those merits.
that the lpiuence of the adminlstra-
ton OF Mr. Roosevelt himself. has
been a tower Of strength to the Taft
candidacy The president feels that
he has done a great deal toward max
ing Judge Taft his successor. What
he has done he has done for a number
OF reasons: Because he loves Taft.
because he trusts him to carry on the
Roosevelt work II elected. and because
he has consciously wished to leave no
doubt In anyone's mind as to his own
What He Fears
Notwithstanding his confidence In
the success of Taft. Notwithstanding
his belief that Taft will win on the
first ballot, Mr. Roosevelt still realizes
there remains a vague possibility of
his own nomination. He thinks that
the danger Is growing less every day
and hopes IL may entirely disappear
by the time the convention meets.
At the same time as a frank and
thoughtful man, accustomed TO look
ing facts squarely in the face, Mr..
Roosevelt is conscious that accident or
plot or upheaval may push him into
most embarrassing position. For ex-
ample, IL an Unexpectedly large meas
ure OF success should attend the efforts
OF the conspirators who are trying to
involve the south in hopeless contests.
could be formed which should work
TO tie up the convention for a consid-
cradle number OF ballots, Mr.. Roose-
welt knows, as every man knows who
Ii n NJ al Of hn &c
politics. that there will be in such
event the grave danger OF his own
nomination.
Probable, almost certain. as is the
nomination OF Taft (barring accident)
improbable as is the other. there stll
exits the shadow, the possibillty-and
IL is a possibility which a prudent man
would consider far ahead. Mr. Roose-
welt has considered 1t.
And in his eyes the whole problem
revolves around this one question: II
such an unexpected upheaval were to
come aud the president were forced
to accept a nomination. what would
the people of the United States think
OF his honor ana sincerity
He believes there are many good
men and wemen now his warm friends
and well wishers who would regret
that he had been forced into such a
predicament. who would not charge
him with conscious insincerity. yet
would be sorry that he had been com
PEELED as a matter of duty to seem to
break his word. As a sensitively hon
orable man, Mr.. Roosevelt hopes with
these friends of his that no such pre-
dicament may fall to his lot. But
suppose ii does, nevertheless, what
then?
Suppose the convention falls into
confusion, and out OF the storm
clouds comes the bolt which puts the
presidents name upon the standard.
Suppose this be accompanied by a
state of affairs which indicate that re-
fusal to run would plunge the party
into disaster. What would be Mr..
Roosevelt's duty in such an event?
Must he obey the command of the peo-
pie, even at the risk OF having unjust
accusations thrown at his head, of
possibly losing just little of the
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