New-York tribune., 1910-12-27
TAFT AND ROOSEVELT
IN HEARTY ACCORD
Carry on Active Correspondence
and Exchange Cordial Christ
mas FeIiciiaiIons.
Ex-PRESIDENT GIVES ADVICE
Whatever the Line Up in 1919
Taft and Predecessor Expect
ed to Fight Democrats
Shoulder TO Shoulder.
From The Tribune Rureau.1

Washington. Dec 26--The facts that
President Taft and ex-Presideut Roose-
welt are carrying on an active ccrre-
spondence. that the President has solic-
tied and received the advice and as
sistance of his predecessor on irnportant
affairs and that they ex-
changed Christmas Fluctuations Of cord
ial nature were learned with consider
able surprise by politicians in Washing
ton to-day, although these facts had
been known 10 those in the confdence
of the two statesmen for some time. To
few insurgents who have hoped 10
profit from a break between President
Taft and ex-President Roosevelt the
news came as disappointment. but by
most of the progressives. as well as by
many of the regulars. it was welcomed
as an augury of success in 1917
Although those close to these two
statesmen have been aware OF What was
going on for several weeks. they had
been informed under a pledge of conf
dence. and it is doubtful il the facts
would have become public now had it
not been for a story printed here under
a New York date line this morning. which
asserted that William Loeb. jr.- was N
a decidedly embarrassing position be-
cause he Fad been requested to take
charge of the interests of the President
in New York and. having consented. had
been obliged to break with Colonel
Roosevelt. II was asserted that both
President Taft, and Colonel Roosevelt
were seeking to control the New York
delegation and that Mr.. Loeb had been
obliged to take sides against his life
long friend and former chief. The pub
lication of this report led to a denial
of the story. coupled with an explana-
tion OF the pleasant relations which ex-
ist between the President and his preds-
cessor.
Stories Had No Foundation.
OF course, many of the stories OF q
break between Mr. Taft and Mr.. Roose-
velt which found their way into the pub
lie prints during the campaign had no
foundation Then, when Colonel Roose-
welt visited Washington. during Presi-
dent Taft's absence IN Panama. he took
occasion to call at the White House and
leave a pleasant message for Mr. Taft. a
courtesy which pleased the President
and led him to write to his old friend
and predecessor a letter which has been
followed by a lively correspondence
which has continued to the present day.
Moreover. during Colonel Roosevelt>
visit to Washington he learned that the
President was not responsible for certain
reports which had appeared in the press
with every appearance of having been
inspired at the White House. and that
certain of his informants on whom he
had supposed he could depend for ac-
curacy had become so prejudiced that
their statements We're wholly misleading
Since then the former President has
learned that the assertions said to have
come from the White House to the effect
that President Taft was far from disap-
pointed over the result of the election in
New York and throughout the country.
that he regarded the result a repudia-
ton of the former President and so
rather welcomed 1T. etc. were either pure
fabrications or emotions of irresponsible
persons fairly close 10 the Executive
president Taft and Colonel Roosevelt
Rad gone into the fight for clean and
representative government in New York
together. and the former President mas
learned with qualification that such IS
the view which the President has all
along entertained II is indeed 1acc
that no suggestion by whon.soever made
that the November elections constituted
a rebuke to Colonel Roosevelt has ever
been received by the President with any
thing approaching approval
Cabinet Member Called on Roosevelt
The relations of the President and the
former President have not been connned .
to correspondence. however At least
one member of Mr. Tafts Cabinet has
called on Colonel Roosevelt 10 consult
him about a matter Of extreme 1mpor-
tance. and has found the former Presi-
dent cordially ready TO give TO his sue
cessor the benefit of his experience and
advice. a fact which has greatly grau-
fled Mr. Taft
As for the assertion that Mr.. Loeb has
been Obliged TO choose between his for
mer chief and the head of this admin
istration. nothing could be further from
the fact. No small measure of credit may
be due TO Mr. Loeb for the friendly re-
Iations which now exist between tho
two men. Probably more than any other
man he enjoys the affection and conf
dence of both his former and his present
chief. and therefore can exert greater
influence for good than any other AZ
an official OF this administration any
degree Of loyalty to President Taft on
the part of William Loeb would never
incur the criticism of Colonel Roosevelt.
hut there is no ground for the belief
that loyalty TO one is not synonymous
with loyalty to the other. Such stories
have been largely the product of the
erroneous views of those who do not en-
10Y Mr. Roosevelt's confidence. and who
have assumed that he was a candidats
for the nomination I'm 1912.
1t would perhaps be venturesonie TO
make predictions regarding the course
of events as far in the future as 1872.
but it would surprise no one In a posi-
ton to form reasonably accurate jud9-
nnent TO find Mr.. Roosevelt supporting
Mr. Taft in the campaign OF that year.
Colonel Roosevelt can be counted on to
do all in his power 10 promote the sue.
cess of the Republican party. and while
he has never committed himself or the.
subject. a just estimate OF his political
sasacity must lead 10 the belief that he