Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-23
TAFT TO SPEAK OUT
Aroused by Attacks Launched
by Col. Roosevelt.
TO OPEN FIRE THIS WEEK
President Expected to Throw Of Re.
straint in Massachusetts,.
CHARGES AGAINST COLONEL
His Connection With Failure to
Prosecute Harvester Trust Cases
Not Yet Explained.
CHARGES AGAINST COLONEL

Although President Taft shut himself
up in the private library of the White
House today, did not go near the execu-
tive offices and Cancelled all engagements.
there was cumulative evidence from many
sides that he is to turn loose in Mas
sachusetts this week the hottest set of
speeches he has ever made in his life.
The very possibility that this will be his
course, learned from various sources
had an inspiring effect on Lis friends and
followers who went to the executive Of
fees but did not see him.
IF the President delivers the goods,
as is reported, and will do 1t in red
blood style, leaving of nambypamby,
hah.apologetic stun. he will kick more
dents in that Roosevelt hat than can
be imagined; he will carry the Massa-
chusetts primaries next week and he
will put himself back in the race for the
nomination. which he VIII win hands
down.
That was one statement made b. one
man during the day at the White House.
Half q dozen others spoke in the same
strain, all believing that everything now
depends upon the way the President
talks In Massachusetts, and probably in
New Jersey. where he also will speak
before the week ends.
4
followers and make his nomination and
election assured il he wants to-" was an
other statement.
Believe Taft Aroused.
That the President is really preparing
pot of political pepper porridge that
will stir the country seems to be a prac-
teal certainty. Some of his friends
fear that the soft-pedal artists will use
their influence against his making the
porridge public, but all statements agree
that the President feels that Mir. Roose-
welt has departed from every right in
attacking him and that he Is at last
aroused to the painful necessity Of let
ting the country know that he regards
Mr.. Roosevelt as deliberate falsifier
Of facts and a manipulation of political
situations without regard to truth.
1t is positively known that. as to the
tor Lorimer. the President has corre-
spondence in his files that will. If the
facts are brought out, place Mt. Roose-
Welt in light that will make 1t incum-
bent upon him to come across with
something more definite than mere words.
Word today was that Roosevelt. APP
prehensive Of the coming attack. Is
cutting short his engagements so as to
get east as soon as possible ana pc
near when the bomb is exploded. He,
Massachusetts, primaries may be piv-
otal in this fight. The moral innuence
their result will carry throughout the
country among the states that have
not acted will be immense;
The Taft people were absolutely sure
of Massachusetts before the Illinois and
Pennsylvania primaries. The result In
those states was injurious TO the Taft
prospects In Massachusetts. The band
wagon republicans. thousands OF them
formerly for Taft, began to turn toward
Roosevelt. The presence OF the President
in the state: his showing up Of Roosevelt
will, 1t Is now believed, again turn the
tide his way and give him q victory in
the state and another upward boost In
the nomination fight
Charges Against Colonel.
Officials of the Department of Justice
would not today discuss any of the re-
norts that there are on file in that de-
ma rtment or were on file there at one
time. official documents connected with
the harvester trust case showing that
Mr.. Roosevelt, when President. either de-
rectly or through Attorney General Bona
parte, gave orders that the harvester peo-
Die were friends Of the administration
and should not be molested.
It was q matter OF common knowledge
and gossip during the last Of the Roose-
welt administration that the Investigation
years or more and never came out OF tho
bureau Of corporations. This investtgA-
ton was precipitated by q resolution OF
Senator Hansbrough OF North Dakota,
and the resolution asked for facts bearing
unon the trust. Herbert Knox Smith.
OF corporations, began the
and kept it going until
everybody had forgotten about Il. until
was out Of the Senate and
long after the present administration
-, ma 3y,to mower
George w. Perkins. then. as now
mower in the harvester trust, and allied
with the Morgan group Of industrials.
now He frequently went to the White
House. He il declared to have put moro
than 10000 into the Roosevelt campaign
thus tar.
Representatives Campbell and Gardner
and others are seeking to have Mr..
Roosevelt state just what caused the un-
usually long and tedious investigation
and the failure OF his administration to
make public anything connected with the
trust or take any action against II.
Told 70 Make Use Of Cannon.
Senafor C,ronna Of North Dakota