The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-24
PRESIDENT WILL
HAVE OPPOSITION
Regulars Prepared for Any AL.
lance to Defeat His
denomination.

Washington, May 23-One Of the
interesting subjects being discussed In
Washington Just now. wnen public
men meet In hotel Hobbies and else
where. is whether or not Mr.. .aft will
Is much TO be said on both sides OF
the question.
4 Determined to contribute what they
can to prevent the President getting
the nomination, the old Regulars are
prepared for any alliance that may
present. Their manoeuvres of late
have justified the conclusion that three
distinct factions will be on hand at
the national convention q year hence.
One Will be supporting Taft; another
VIII be supporting La Toilette; the
third. representing the former House
olisarchy and Its affiliations will be
supporting Vice President sherman or
his political equivalent
1t may seem at this time dan
gerous hazard. but the course Of poll
tics Is right now suggesting that so
strange a thing may happen as an
alliance OF the Progressives and the
Cannonites. to nominate some PRO
gressive in place of President Tart.
The sentiment of the old Rouse ring
is deep seated and unforgiving in an
tagonism to the President. 1t is based
On the administrations failure to stand
firm on its original agreement to take
the patronage away from the Insur-
gents.
About that agreement, there is com
Ing to light some interesting history.
Speaker Cannon and Senator Aldrich
were the men who, in behalf Of the
regular organizations in both houses.
induced the President to agree on
dissenting the Progresslves by taking
away from them their patronage
prerogative. The administration and
the Regulars We're TO make common
cause in the extirpation of insur-
gency. The notion was entertained
that a firm hand. determined course
would effect the early eradication of
the progressive virus from the party
system. HI - :
After the primary contests were
over last fall. the famous Norton
patronage letter was Issued. The Reg
niars think. first that il was had poll !
ties to give out formal confession
OF the whole plan to wreck the Pro-
gressives by taking away their patron
age. -.
Two-thirds of the country didn't
believe any such pact had been en-
tered upon, until the administra ton
admitted It. 8if
Second. the Regulars were incensed
that the President should not stans
by the arrangement. They complaYI
that they did not even have notice
that the Norton letter was 70 he !,
sued, or the patronage embargo 49,
ed. The method Of the whole thin.
inccnsed them even more than the fact
that the President decided 10 annui
the agreement 1i''-
Contrary to the general understand
ing. the fact is that Postmaster.Gen-
eral hitchcock was not at any time
In favor OF the patronage embargo.
when the proposition was made by
the Aldrich-C Cannon people TO the Pres
ident, Mr.. Hitchcock protested that .it
was bad politics. and. in his opinion.
would do more harm than good. He
was overruled in the matter.
Bound by the agreement of his chief.
the postmaster General Loyalty admin
istered the terms of the understand
ing SO far s concerned his depart
ment, and in time came TO hear Inc
brunt of the obloauy that was pro-
auced ny It, He was widely accredited
Win the actual authorship OF the ar
rangement for boycotting insurrency-
1t is only recently that the Insur-
gents themselves have come TO -un-
derstand what his real attitude was
VINO knows what will happen?
stt -tlii.- uttiH, P II AJcC