The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-09-06
FISHER HEARS THE
BULL MOOSE CALL
And He Is Not the Only Cabi-
net Officer With Roose-
welt Leanings.

WASHINGTON, Sept 6-Disaffec-
Etion in President Taft's Cabinet over
the third party movement and Roose-
welt is the latest startling development
In politics. A robust story got into cir
icuIation today that Secretary of the
Interior Walter Fisher has been i'm
!paled on the horns of the Bull Moose.
!, Rampaging and snorting as it went,
1.-THE herd proceeded to carry Mr.. Fish
Ter along with it, and the story has it
THAT If he ever does find his way back
ito the regular Republican camp he will
mot be in condition to do much in this
campaign.
The word that Secretary Fisher had
Roosevelt leanings broke out first in
high official society and came to the
ears of prominent Administration
cficeholder. Mr.. Fisher had not COM
united any grave act of hostility to
the Administration and couldn't very
well be punished for his leanings to-
ward he Progressive party.
Besides, If row should be kicked
ZIP about it and Mr.. Fisher hauled ov-
Ter the Goals and thereupon should re-
sign, that would be worse kettle of
fish than ever.
Urgent Business in Hawaii.
All the same it is noticeable that Mr..
Fisher has had most urgent business
in Hawaii 1t is said he wanted to get
there SO bad that when he got to San
Francisco he broke over the law that
relates to carrying of Americans be-
tween the mainland, and Hawaii on
American vessels and had to pay a
fine for doing it.
He will be gone for some weeks, will
not get back until next month and
when he does the fight will be so near
over that it will be too late to do much
in the way of getting Progressives
converted and inducing them to walk
ur to the mourners' bench and pledge
themselves to keep the old guard faith.
Whether Mr. Fisher had urgent bus
mess in Hawaii calculated to keep him
off he stump in this campaign cannot
positively be asserted. 1t would look
that way, however, to a man up
tree.
To go back little, it will be recall
ed that Mr.. Fisher, before his appoint
ment to the Cabinet. had wide repu-
tation for progressivism in Chicago
and his home state of Illinois. He was
put into the Interior Department to
succeed Ballinger because the Balm
ger tenure had left bad taste in the
mouths of the Progressives. Since then
he has not laid aside his progressiv-
ism
Favored Progressive Policies.
He has advocated progressive poll
cies as regards Alaska. and has been
progressive on questions affecting the
public domain generally About four
months ago he made speech in favor
of the initiative and referendum. That
speech was good reading for the Pro-
gressives, but 1t fell like wet blanket
over the Administration crowd in
Washington.
Since then-it may be mere coinci-
dence-Mr. Fisher has kept out of the
-speechmaking business. Some say, with
show of authority. that he has been
kept out and given to understand that
conservation of his oratory would be
esteemed in White House quarters as
great favor.
At one time, too, it will be recalled.
there was much talk of putting Fisher
In as Republican campaign manager.
Somehow, thought he Is an able politi-
clan and would have brought Mr.. Taft
Progressive strength, this did not ma
terialize.
Mr.. Fisher is not the only one of the
Cabinet who inclines strongly to the
Roosevelt side. Postmaster-General
Hitchcock is looked on as not hostile
to Roosevelt. He is devoting himself
religiously to the business of the Post
Office Department and is giving it a
good administration, while apparently
letting policies severely alone.
Secretary of the Navy Meyer, it is
said, has strong Roosevelt leanings In
fact, aside from Acknowledgement
Wickersham, Secretary of War Slim
son and Secretary of Agriculture Will
eon, the President is getting practical
" no political help from his Cabinet.