The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-23
Movement to Make Roosevelt
Candidate i'm 1912.
Has Begun to Take Form Among
the Politicians.
TAFT MEN ARE BUSY.
Both Sides Send Representatives
to Meet Him.
He Is Expected to Influence the
Congressional Elections.

Washington, Feb. 23.-From being the
hunter, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt has
become the hunted. For some months
to come, he will be trailed as relentless
ly as he has ever trailed the lion to his
lair or the malefactor of great wealth
to his fastness. Many politicians are
looking to him for sign, and until he
gives one he will be beset as few public
men have been in this generation.
Already representative of the Back
from-Elba movement has started to see
Roosevelt. He will be followed by OPP
ponents of that movement. Here is the
situation:
Friends of President Taft's admins
tration hope that when Roosevelt gets
back from Africa and lands in New
York he will come out with a sweeping
Endorsement of the administration. The
Republican congressional committee
and a great many Republican members
of congress are hoping that Roosevelt
will give the administration a warm
Endorsement and will speak out in such
fashion as to help the whole party with
the voters in securing the election of
Republican house
The radicals in the Republican party,
who are not pleased with the Taft adj
ministration and who want to have
Roosevelt the nominee in 1912 are
anxious to have Roosevelt either speak
silent, or give it only perfunctory in
dorsement.
For weeks there has been no end of
discussion about the capitol building
and in political circles in Washington
as to what Roosevelt was going to say
The regulars in congress are freely pre-
dieting that he will come out with a
sweeping Endorsement of Taft's admin
istration and of the course of the party,
which will help along the Republican
congressional campaigns.
The insurgents are fearing that
Roosevelt will do this in such way as
will seem to condemn them in the eyes
of the country. They would not oppose
the Endorsement of the administration
provided it were done in such a way as
not to enable their opponents to say
they had been rebuked and in such q
way as not to strengthen the regular
organization in congress, help fasten
the old rules on the house, help con-
tinue the regime of Mr.. Cannon and his
friends and help continue the rule OF
Mr.. Aldrich in the senate. On the
question of the tariff, they would not
like to see Mr.. Roosevelt come out and
give it sweeping Endorsement such as
President Taft has given it.
Anyhow, fuel has been added to the
flames that are daTtng up over the
Roosevelt situation by the disclosure
that a prominent newspaper man in
washington. who is. credited with be-
movement, has started for Africa He
has been gone nearly three weeks, and
is headed for the Nile. He is said to
be planning to ascend that stream un-
til he meets Mr.. Roosevelt.
He is armed with letters from num-
her of politicians. and is going prepar-
ed to lay before Roosevelt the political
situation from his viewpoint and the
viewpoint of the opposition to the ex-
listing administration. He will inform
Roosevelt that his policies have not
been lived up to. and will ask him to
speak out in support of those policies,
or at least. to refrain from giving in
dorsement to the administration.
The fact that this envoy has started
On his way has caused lot of talk in
political circles here. 1t has been free
ly discussed about Washington for some
time that Roosevelt would be inter-
viewed by friends of the administration
On reaching Europe, and would be urged
to speak out in an effort to help the
party win the next elections.
1t looks now as if both the Taft and
Roosevelt Republicans would be pulling
and hauling at the African huntsman
long before he strides the shores of
America.
Not long ago, one or the FORMER pres
iGent's closest friends said Roosevelt
would not be drawn into the present
factional controversy among RepubH-
cans, and would preserve silence. It is
clear from the developments that if Mr..
Roosevelt sets out to keep silent, he
will have a hard time of it.