Evening star., 1911-08-28
Politicians Here DepIore At
tack on Insurgents.
SPEECH WAS A SURPRISE
Had Avoided Personalities in His
Messages Of Veto.
OTHERS APPROVE
COURSE
Believe Fight Was Bound to Come
and Applaud President for
Opening It Vigorously.

There Is conviction among politicion.
In Washington today that President Taf
made q mistake in his attack upon the
insurgents Saturday. OF course. his as
sault upon the democrats who took par
In. the making Of the tariff bills thai
were vetoed by him was to be expected
but his conservative course toward the in
surgents heretofore led up to the genera
belief that he would ignore their attitude
for the sake Of keeping the party to-
gether as much as pbssibie. Hasing at
tackled the insurgents by name. there Il
now nothing for them TO do but make an
swer, giving further evidence Of the split
In the republican ranks.
That Mr.. Taft Is to be nominated for a
second term is generally admitted by
democrats and republicans alike. Grant.
ing that to be true, it has been under
stood that Mr.. Taft would find nothing
to be gained by attacking the insurgents
and that, on the other hand. his best pol
Icy would be to outlinss his position on
the tariff without making q personal at
tack upon any one by name.
Might Bolt Ticket.
1t is pointed out today that IL the insur-
gents become more embittered than in
the past against the President 1t will be
practically impossible for them to sup
port him In. the November elections. while
II he continued to pursue q non-personal
course he would be In position to expect
support from the insurgents when nomi-
mated.
Senator La Toilette, who is expected to
answer the President in a speech this
week, is said to be highly pleased that
the President has opened the fight. 1t
enables Mr.. La Toilette, according to in
formation today, to speak more plainly
than he would otherwise have done. 1t
also gives him the chance he has been
wanting Of rallying his forces for the
fight for the republican nomination.
The President proceeded cautiously II
writing his vetoes against the tariff bills
1t was suggested to him at the times thai
he I'LL the veto messages with pepper
sparing none OF the insurgents against
whom he had information that he could
have used. Having failed to follow the
advice given him at that time, 1t Is re.
garded by many as surprising that he
should start the fight now.
Speech Not on Cards.
1t became known today that the speech
was not upon the cards for delivery a,
the republican rally at the home OF Rep.
resentative Gardner, and the Presiden,
seems to have acted upon impulse In his
assault.
Some Of the Presidents friends com
mend him for beginning the fight nov
and sparing none Of the insurgents. They
declare that he cannot gain anything by
a cOnciiiatory course with them, and tha
he might as well begin now and arouse
the republicans Of every state in the
country. using the protection theory q.
the basis. They declare that the insur.
gents would not have spared the Presi
dent. and that he is justified in lam
basting their policy on the tariff. No
| only will the insurgents fight him for tht
| nomination. 1t Is asserted, but their fidel
| ity to tiss national republican ticket tha
| is nominated Is questioned.