New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-21
lFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

washington. May 20.
TAFT GAINING GROUND.-Reports
that President Taft Is rapidly gaining
ground politically are being brought to
washington from all parts Of the country
The people, according to those in a posi-
ton to speak with authority. are coming
more and more to understand the Presi-
dent They have become accustomed to his
ways and have learned that they must
themselves look for the merit In his ad-
ministration, as he refuses to advertise 1t.
| They realize that he Is not a politician
and they have come to admire the sturdy
fearlessness with which he faces every d.
lemma and performs each duty. without
thought Of the effect Of his actions on his
own political fortunes. The even-handed
Justice his administration Is melting out to
the trusts Is commanding admiration from
tho people. although II Is being severely
condemned by the trusts themselves and by
their legal advisers. The Standard Oil de-
cision has gone far to demonstrate the
worth Of a President who is not only
willing but able to make the best judicial
appointments. The policy which President
Taft has adopted Of treating the insurgents
with entire fairness. regardless Of their
personal hostility to him and his political
welfare. is winning over many of the men
in that camp. Sober reflection and some
| measure OF experience have shown the
Payne tariff bill TO be better measure
than was generally appreciated when 1t
was passed. and the thorough work being
performed by the Tariff Board is gradually
convincing even the skeptics of the value
Of that agency In arriving at the just
measure OF protection while the hit-or miss
methods employed by the Democrats In
their tariff tinkering are serving TO throw
into strikingly favorable contrast the policy
advocated by President Taft. These are
the important reasons presented by those
who are now coming to Washington and
reporting on political conditions throughout
| the country. General Powell Clayton. ma
tional committeeman from Arkansas, paid
visit to the White House to-day and
declared that the Far South would send
solid Taft delegations to the national con-
vention. Republican insurgency. with La
Toilette as its leader he said, is regarded
as joke In the South.
INSURGENTS DESPERATE.-The des-
peration of the insurgents, "Bourne's SAL
walton Army" and all that faction OF the
Republican party has been. In the judgment
Of the political experts in Washington,
strikingly exemplifed in the effort TO
utilize Justice Hughess name with which
to make inroads into Mr.. Taft's strength
or course, nothing was further from the
purpose OF the insurgents than TO nominate
Justice Hughes. Progressive Republican
Ism for personal gain is their motto. or.
at least, that OF their leader Senator La Fol-
| lette. but so discouraging have been the
efforts to create popularity for Battle
Bob and so strongly are the Taft pha-
lanxes showing up that one OF the In
surgents conceived the brilliant idea OF
using the name OF New York's former
Governor 10 break the Taft strength. with,
Of course. the clearly defined understand
| ing that the justice was to be sidetracked
as soon as the national convention had
been converted into melee. But the JUS
! tice was far too clever TO permit himself
TO be used in any such manner and those
who fathered this bright Idea have brought
down only ridicule on themselves Justice
| Hughes is very happy on the bench and it
viii take far more than the tempting offer
OF insurgent support-an offer as valueless
! as II is insincere-to tempt him TO leave his
life place In the highest tribunal in the
land TO enter the arena OF politics again.
! DEMOCRATS AND WOOL-Tarff re-
vision. neither all wool nor a yard wide,
but half shoddy and somewhat shrunken.
appears 10 be the fixed policy OF the Demo
Gratis in the House. and. despite the en-
phatic denial OF the Peerless Leader there
is every reason TO believe that Mr.. Bryan
has passed the word that his followers had
better content themselves with the 20 per
cent reduction of the duties in the wool
schedule on which Mr.. Underwood, Speaker
Clark and other Democratic leaders are de-
termined. The plan now agreed on is that
measure providing for this 30 per cent
reduction shall be reported by the Ways
and Means Committee. and shall then be
made the subject of caucus. The caucus
is expected TO follow the leaders, and thus
30 per cent measure will be sent TO the
Senate. Those unconvertible advocates of