Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-16
CHANCE FOR CHOICE
Conflicting Stories Regarding
Taft-RooseveIt Situation.
PRESIDENT TO QUIT FIELD
Thus Declares One Correspondent on
Trustworthy" Information.
DENIAL IS EQUALLY EMPHATIC
Metropolitan Journals Endeavor to
Outline tho Future From
Political Standpoint.

on the wall. He is inclined t, believe
that no other republican than Theodore
Roosevelt can save the republican party
from destruction tn 1912 And like a
good party man he Is preparing to leave
the field to the man who was his prede-
cessor and who Is his rival. That Is the
substance Of an interesting special dis
patch from the summer capital at Beverly
to the New York Times.
But President Taft isn't thinking Of any
such thing. He did not inspire such a
story. suggest 1t. or even countenance
it. The wall is blank SO far as he is
concerned. He has no idea Of permit
ting Col. Roosevelt to elbow him from
the high place he holds. He is sitting
tight and saying nothing. And that is
the substance Of another interesting
special dispatch from the summer capital
at Beverly to the New York World.
IT'S a question of pay and choose, for
each story Of the true and inside situation
fatty contradicts the other.
Quotes the President.
This is part Of what the Times has to
say on the subject:
81 am not thinking Of 1912; in fact.
don't know that care for q denomination
From the way things are drifting 1t may
be that no republican can be elected, save
possibly one.'
From a trustworthy source the Times
correspondent learns that this was the
statement President Taft made several
weeks ago to a friend with whom he was
discussing the political outlook for 1912
From an entirely different source the cor
respondent is informed that President
Taft made substantially the same remark
to another friend. These statements have
been repeated among the Intimate 1850
ciates OF the President until they are al.
most common property.
"A pretty positive statement that the
President would not be candidate for
another term was current in Beverly to-
day. 1t had no official foundation, but
aroused much interest, because Of poltti-
cal conditions at the present time. The
subject is in the minds of many pronai-
nent republicans. and friends OF the
President are understood to believe that
his course is bound to be matter for
frequent speculation from now on.
80: Tafts Chief Purpose.
The President has thus far demon
strated little interest In his political
future beyond March I. 1913. His chief
idea has been to fulfill the party pledges
during his present term. He is we'll
aware that If the democrats win the
congressional elections in November
there will be a great ciamor for some
other candidate.
Probably the call for Col. Roosevelt
to accept another term would be
stronger than ever, and it would be al
most certainty that the President
could not be nominated for a second
term without opposition.
Tends to Encouragement.
These party disappointments, coming in
swift succession, have not been Of a
character to encourage the President to
look forward TO another term, or even
to another nomination. His frame OF
mind on the subject is said to resemble
his attitude about the presidency when
the matter Of his candidacy was frs.
discussed. He is not aggressive about il
now any more than he was little less
than four years ago.
THE rumor has reached the President
that Col. Roosevelt is determined to OPP
pose any Endorsement OF Taft's renomina-
ton in the state convention, which he or
his friends control. although he Is will
ing to have the usual perfunctory indorse-
ment of the republican administration
inserted in the platform. OF course, Mr
Taft's friends are not in position to
confirm this report, but it has all the ear
marks Of truth
1.-The subject has been In the President {
mind, as was shown q couple OF weeks
ago. when he was laying the corner
stone of the Y. NJ G. A. building at
Beverly. He told the people he expected
to be a summer resident on the north
shore for two years more, adding, with
a tone Of voice that did not escape the
notice Of his hearers. lat any rate
There has been studied silence about
political topics on the Presidents part
for some time. 1t is hardly secret,
Ex-President Roosevelt's course has an
noyed him. The triumph OF insurgents
in state primaries, the refusal Of Ger
tain republican state conventions to i'll
dorse his administration, and the great
oyerturn in Maine have caused him vexa-
ton. He has been told by practically
all the leaders that tho next House will
be democratic.
Declared to Be Baseless.
And thus It is that the World SCOTS at
the whole business:
1T can be positively stated that the
newspaper statement Is untrue, enanat-
ing without authority from Beverly to-
day, to the effect that President Taft
sees the handwriting on the wall; that he
has reached the conclusion that Theo-
dore Roosevelt Is laying his plans to be
elected President in 1912, and that Mr..
Taft will not stand In his way by seeking
q second term. The story was not IN
isoA a.