Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-25
TAFT ANSWERS ROOSEVELT.
President Manifests Ferv0r in Reply
ing to Charges of His Pre-
deceSSOr.


campaign, President Taft, with blood
in his eye, invaded Massachusetts to-
day. Practically every speech made,
it was said, will be an attack on Col.
Theodore Roosevelt. Returns from
Iowa, showing that the president was
given majority of the delegates,
made him jubiIant and primed. him
to put Col Roosevelt into the Anan-
las club, with such severity of speech
as his judicial temperament will per-
nit.
The president realizes that he must
now either sink or swim in the presi-
Dental denomination race, and the
Massachusetts, primaries on Tuesday
may foretell his fate. Even his
staunchest supporters say that if
Col. Roosevelt succeeds in capturing
a majority of the Bay State delegates,
that Taft will have heartbreaking
time obtaining the denomination at
the Chicago convention.
Taft's managers have told him that
one week of tame oratOry in New
England will be equal to none at all,
and that he might as we'll remain in
Washington. He must fight and fight
hard, his managers declare. The re-
cent Taft victories in New Hampshire
and Iowa have given the adminiStra-
ton new heart, and consequently, the
President is setting forth in his pres
ent invasion to attack his former
friend with an energy seldom, if ever,
exhibited by the executive The most
important speech of the first day oat
will be delivered at the Boston Arena.
In it, the President will make his first
lengthy reply to Col. Roosevelts
charges made in Illinois, that the Taft
administration is friendly to and has
supported Senator Lorimer. 1t is
learned on good authority today that
the president will read documentary
evidence, probably tonight, to refute
these charges.
Meanwhile. in Washington formal
attack on the Colonel will be opened
in the Senate, when further attempts
will be made to show that Colonel
Roosevelt, while president, showed ia
yoritism owards the Harvester Trust
in the Antitrust prosecution.
Eight" is the watchword of the ad-
ministration from now on; the preSl-
dent and his managers will center the
attack on Col. Roosevelt, it is said.
Stops will be made by the presidents
special today at Springfield, Palmer
and South birmingham, Mass. He
expects to arrive in Boston late this
afternoon.
Springfield, Mass, April %
Flushing with anger at times, Presi-
dent Taft launched straight to an at
tack on Theodore Roosevelt with his
first words here today; while crowd
of seven thousand cheered. Forget
ting the judicial temperament COM
pletely and throwing to the winds his
long maintained attitude of refusing
to indulge in personalities, the PresI-
dent called Theodore deceiver in
so many words, and answered scorn-
fully the many charges the Colonel
has made against his administration
"By his recent utterances he has
misled a great many honest people
to believe his charges against me and
nv administration, said President
Taft. "But because | represent that
element in the Republican party which
believes in the sanctity Of the conSti-
tuition and in wise progress made un-
der the guarantee of the constitution
| am entitled to have my defense.
The attack on. Col. Roosevelt seemed
to burst from the Presidents lips al
most against his will. 1t was under
stood that he had half promised Sec
retarv Hilles that he would not 60
into personalities in the three after
noon meetings today, but would re-
serve his heavy guns for the mass
meeting in the arena in Boston to-
night.
Taft, however, from his first words,
showed that he mas been filled with
the subject of Theodore Roosevelt by
the many conferences he has had with
his advisors in Washington during the
past ten days and was in no mood to
utter vague generalities.
Among other things Mr. Taft SAID:
Roosevelt says | favor an oIlgarcny
of bosses, that I represent the special
interests, that my administration has
not been productive of anything pro-
gressive, that | am reactionary ana
other charges so numerous | cannot
think of them all"
The President then proceeded to
answer these charges one by one, prac-