Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-02
Presidents Popularity Is
Strengthened, Friends Say.
EFFECT Of HIS SPEECHES
Convinced the West of His Sincerity.
1t Is Asserted.
PLEDGES GIVEN FOR REVISION
Will Concentrate Energies. 1t Is Pre-
dicted, on Trusts. Tariff
and Arbitration.

With President Taft back on the AZ
iantic coast after l3.0o-ntle swing
around the Circle his friends are natur-
any trying to sum up the political honc-
fits he derived from the trip.
The prevailing view is that hc Il
stronger with the people OF the country
than he was when he started on his tour
Ills renomiI alton was not IN dUuhi
When this trip was planned II was un-
dertaken with the hope and expectation
that II might lead 10 his reelection The
President has, Of course. realized since
the elections of last year that the drift
mas been away from the republican parts.
Moreover. he realized that with the parts
divided into two factions ii was pcces-
sarv for him to do what lie could toward
restoring harmony
The keynote "f the speechmakinG o,
the President on this long trip WAS that
he was not TO he rega rded "a a standpat-
ter or an insurgent He endeavored to
convince the people wherever he went
that he Is steering course between the
conservatives and the Insurgents
His friends in balancing IN the de-
Telopments along the - G;s-mic journey
say they have every reason Ia believe
that the country regards him more oil
party leader than ever before. The claim
s not made that the President was en-
thusia stically rece'ved everywhere. II is
asserted, however. that in every state
he Wis. ted the people were anxious 10
hear what he had to say and apparently
were impressed after he had spoken
May Press These Subjects.
Public men vino have made a some
what careful study of Tie speeches made
on the trip are now convinced that Mr.
Taft intends to concentrate his energies
on the following subjects:
l. The enforcement OF the Sherman
antitrust law without fear o., favor
. revision of the most obnoxious
schedules OF the Aldrich-Fayne tariff
law on information gathered hy the
tariff board
3. International arbitration.
The insurgent republicans who are out
TO prevent the denomination of the Pres'-
dent, # possible. and the democrats who
are determined to defeat him for rec &c
tion fthey admit he will he reuominatedf
Frankly say that they are surprised al
the adoption of such a vigorous proerain
with respect to the trusts by the Pres-
dent. Neither the insurgents nor ths
democrats believed he would dare chooS
the course he has chosen.
They thought il would he the same Old
story over again--the trusts wou d sue
coed In convincing the administration
| that il would he unwise To press for en-
! forcement Of the Sherman law in the face
| of a presidential election. The Prest-
| dents friends are quite certain that MS
I strengthened him with the people. and
| they believe il viii strengthen him still
more during the onths that are 10 IN
/ tervene before the nominating convention
| and the election
! Big business is much put out over the
! attitude of the President. II is saying
| harsh things about him. But appa emily.
there is nothing IL can do except talk. l.
+! does not want La Toilette nominated BY
the republicans and it is afraid TO make
an open movement in the interest OF
democratic candidate. because II realizes
/ that such a movement would only add
strength to the candidacy of some radt-
cal like Coy. Wilson Of New Jersey.
Sincerity of the President.
When the President started on his trip
he fullv rea lied that large numbers oil
voters in the west did not indorSc his
vetoes of the tariff bills passed tn.
recent special session Of Con"ress.
Much of his speechmakinG was devoted
20 an effort to justify those Nctnss Per
sons who followed the deNc opnents OF
the tour say that although nc probably
Glu not ucUeed coaV mn a. q plii.-
licans in the west that lac did the right
thing in yetoing these bills. he did con
vince them that he Is earnestly IN favor
Of tariff revision based on information
s,ipDlied br his tariff board
He has come back from his trio p"d4od
10 do lis utmost To obtain from Congress
lt the coming session revision of sevetal
of the existing schedules. His friends
say that il he shall Seccee9 With thls
tai1if venture he viii enter tire national
conyentio,, and the campaign neAt year a
strong candidate.
His delnana Uuat the senate tatltN -.
arbitration treaties between III" nlt""
states ana Great Britain and tho United
states and France was. say persons VINO
made the trip with him, cordially SUP
norted everywhere. Tho prevailing view
now is that the Senate will not dare with
hold ratification Of these treaties, II tH'
President had not gone direct 10 the peo-
Die of his demand for ratification. $50
his friends the senate would hay" re-
ie ted the treaties or would nave ~