The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-10
Taft Not Perturbed by
Attitude of Colonel
Roosevelt.
LATTER MAY DO
AS HE PLEASES
President Regrets Tendencies To-
ward Split in Party, but He
Wants People to Judge Him
by What He Has Aclliev-
ed-Indifferent to Sec
ond Term.
Special to The Times-Dispatct. /

Especial to The s-Dispatch.l
Beverly, Mass. July 9.-President
Taft absolutely refuses to be disturbed
by the political activities OF Oyster
Bay. He has his own ideas on the
subject, and regrets tendencies that
will lead Inevitably to a wide open
split in the Republican party; but II
can be said that the President Is con-
tent to rest on his own achievements
and be judged altogether by the re-
suits of his administration.
The President is fortified In this po-
sitlon by the fact that he is utterly
Indifferent as to a second term. II
at the close Of his present term, hia
party. on the record that he shall
have made. calls on him to lead again
he will readily consent. But he will
not engage in any scramble for the
Office.
Meanwhile, the President intends to
preserve his friendships withott any
regard to political considerations. The
call of Colonel Roosevelt at the sum
mer capital on June 80 was that Of one
friend upon another, and 1t is known
now that a minimum OF politics was
discussed. Colonel Roosevelt has not
disclosed any plans that he has for
the future. and neither has the Pres
ident. 1t was agreed. at Colonel
Roosevelt's suggestion when Taft as
sumed office. that every suggestion OF
terference by the former President
was 10 be avoided. The attitude of Col
onel Roosevelt is understood to be
that of private citizen, free to exer-
else all of the political privileges OF
a. citizen. and the President desires 1t
to be SO.
What meaning the events of the past
three weeks at Oyster Bay may have
the President has not sought to in
autre The one question that he 1s
considering is whether, to the best of
his ability, he is carrying out the
| pledges he made to the people. In
this connection there is an answer 70
the events at Oyster Bay-the Poin-
dexter incident, the pledge of support
| to Beveridge. the hints about conser-
vation-in the acts of the administra-
Ition during the past week. Since last
! Saturday the development of the
Presidents conservation policy has
gone forward to an extent 10 make it
understandable to all. Conservation Is
the one definite. distinct policy that Col
onel Roosevelt's seven years in office
produced 1t is the one policy for
which he stands pre- -eminently before
II
policy about which controversy hinges.
| In the view of the President with
ou, meaning to take Issue with Col
onel Roosevelt or in any way to be-
| come involved In public discussion.
1.-THE people of the United States are for
| lconservation of their natural resources,
without particularly caring by what
! met hods, SO long as those most effect
i've are adopted.
i DiSaRraeinp with tho idaac of
! onel Roosevelt as to the powers or
| the executive under the law, the Pres
! ident, while not permitting the public
| interests to suffer in the interim. has
secured from Congress the enactment
of laws authorizing all the Withdraw
ais of land made by the former Presi-
dent. and under this law, during the
4 past week, he has confirmed all of the
acts of Colonel Roosevelt, and taken
additional initiative action himself in
| the premises, SO that there is total
of more than 30,0O0,000 acres of coal
land. petroleum. phosphate and power
sites, now fully intrenched behind the
statutes, free from exploitation by the
i trusts and corp porations. for examlna-
tion, development and Improvement as
Congress by further legislation shall
direct.
II Policy Carried Out.
\ In other words. by legal methods
that are beyond doubt or question. the
President has fully carried out the
4 policy of the former President. and he
1 Is satisfied to stand on 1t. believing
that the people who desire conserva-
ton will not stop to quibble or ques-
ton as to what particular means We're
used to bring about this desired end.
!, 1t is but just to add that all along tho
II Presidents plan has been Secretary
Ballinger's plan, and that the law un-
! der which the President is now acting
!, in conservation matters is the one that
Mr.. Balllnger recommended in his first
annual report to the President.
, AS with conservation, so with the
: other acts Of his administrations The
President has proceeded along lines
that seemed to him best suited to meet
the party pledges, and he is not dis
y turbad. therefore, by any outcroppings
OF opposition from high quarters,
which, after all. are held to be diff
, ferences in methods more than in
measures.
The President proposes 10 proceed
along these lines to the end. He will
make no move to counteract any infiu-
ences that are at work. His plan Is
to allow the work that he has done to
, sink in. After that, he will be salts
I fed to be Judged,
At the same time, 1t is not to be un-
derstood that the President is throw
Ing away any support that his admin-
istration may receive from the former
/ President. But to friends who under
stand the Presidents position, what Is
distinctly clear is the fact that he
does not encourage the notion that he
is to stand or fall by the attitude that
/, Colonel Roosevelt. may assume. BY
/ the same token, since Poindexter and
{ Beveridge are both Republicans, even
i. though hostile to some of the Presi-
4 dents beliefs, Mr.. Taft does not be-
8 lleve that the walls OF his admtnistra-
! tlon VIII crumble II both are elected.
7 He Is not opposed to progressive
Ideas He Is merely man desirous
of results, and II a majority Of pro-
y gresslve Republicans rs secured ir
4 both branches of Congress. sent there