The Washington herald., 1912-06-21
President Refuses to Discuss
Possibility Of Dark Horse.
viii Not Make Statement.
WOULD RETIRE FOR PARTY
Hughes Only Man Acceptable to
Executive as Third Candidate.
GumminS and La Toilette
Still Hope.

| President Taft last night was absolute
ly unmoved by talk from Chicago Of a
third man candidate" before the Chi
caEo convention. All day he refused to
take the slightest recognition Of the re-
ports Of compromise emanating from the
convention, except to authorize q denial
/ of statements that Senator Crane had
agreed to compromise on Senator Cum
minis.
Following an afternoon Of isolation on
| the golf course, the President last night
sat alone in his study at the White
| House. He received no callers, and con-
I fined his duscissions OF the situations in
the convention to long distance conver-
sations over the telephone with the Taft
managers in Chicago. The President Is
persisting in his refusal to give out a
statement, and after reading the Roose-
welt statement he still refused TO break
his silence.
II was learned from an authoritative
source, however, that among the Presi-
dents official family a compromise is re-
garded as within the range Of possibn-
tiles. Should the situation become so
changed as TO make this possible, Justice
Hughes would be regarded as practically
the only man among those mentioned as
possible compromise candidates who
would be at all acceptable to the Taft
q
night.
Too Early for Compromise.
Some Of the Presidents advisers here
take the view that it is yet too early for
any serious discussion Of compromise can
didates. They consider that the situa-
ton in Chicago has not yet shaped itself
with sufficient definiteness to make II
safe for the President or any OF the Taft
leaders to entertain any suggestions OF
union OF forces upon third man.
In other words, the sincerity Of the
Roosevelt adherents in Chicago, who have
given assurances that they would sup
port a third man rather than follow
Roosevelt in a bolt is seriously doubted
here.
The slightest yielding on the part Of
the President, It is feared. would expose
him to attack on a hitherto unbroken
front, with the danger that the Roosevelt
people might succeed In getting their man
named by the convention
Assurance was given last night by one
Of the few men close to the President left
In the city that II the President were once
convinced that he could unite and save
the party by Withdrawing his name and
agreeing to a compromise candidate, that
he would prove Unselfish enough to step
aside. With Roosevelt practically an
nouncing that he intends to be a candi-
date anyway, this authority declared that
the difficulties of convincing the President
that he could save the party by a COM
promise have been greatly increased.
Senator Cummins and Senator La Fol-
Iette were both at home in this city last
night, each convinced that the hour is
drawing near in which the lightning
may strike them. Both were in frequent
communication with Chicago yesterday.
Neither would comment upon either their
own candidates. or the situation in gen.
eral last night. Senator Cummins did
assert himself yesterday, however, TO
the extent Of declaring that he would
extremely regret to see a bolt at the
Chicago convention Neither Of these
two men would be acceptable to the
President as a compromise candidate, 1t
was learned last night, under any cir
cumstances which can be imagined as
arising in Chicago.
kilograms Pro and Con.
President Taft yesterday received many
kilograms urging him to agree to a
compromise. Each Of these kilograms
assured him that Roosevelt had been
eliminated by the events Of Wednesday
and Wednesday night On the other
hand, other supporters OF the President |
sent protests against compromise talk. |
predicting his certain nomination.
The President talked with Senator |
Crane over the telephone, and following |
this conversation let II be known that |
the Massachusetts Senator had denied |
agreeing to throw the Taft strength in |
the convention to Senator Cummins. The /
Presidents callers declared that his con-
hdence in his nomination is stronger
than ever.
Secretaries Knox and Stimson, and At |
torney General Wickersham were with |
the President yesterday morning, but left /
the White House before the convention /
met. Assistant Attorney, General Lewis, |
former Representative woodward. Of
West Virginia, and Representatives |
Humphrey, Of Washington. and Taylor.
Of Colorado, also called. Some one sent |
the President a box Of golf balls yes
terday, which he took with him to the
Chevy Chase course