Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-11
CLOSE TO COL. ROOSEVELT
Said to Have Little in Sympathy
With Administration.
MANY CALL ON PRESIDENT
Majority of Them Talk Politics.
Secretary Hilles Also Kept
Pretty Busy.

\
resignation to the White House as COM
missioner OF corporations Neither has
he intimated to Secretary Nagel that he
| proposes to do So But there would be
| no great surprise and no profound regret
in either quarter, it was said today,
should Mr.. Smith make good the reports
! that are going the rounds. Not that Mr..
Smith Is regarded as lacking in the quail
tiles of dutiful and effective official
| but, in some respects at least, he has
| been, little in sympathy with the admin
| istration.
| Mr.. Smith and Jimmy Garfield were
two of the leading members Of the
| Roosevelt tennis cabinet. When Mr..
Smith was not digging into the affairs
| Of corporations he was cavorting around
the tennis court in the rear of. Presi-
| dent Roosevelts offices. reaching. as the
seeing Washington guides used to say
of Roosevelt for high balls"
/ President Taft, in a lenient spirit. per-
mitted many OF the intimate followers of
Col Roosevelt to remain in high posi-
tons in the government departments
Mr.. Smith continued his official work, but
left off his White House tennis. He has
made only the absolutely necessary calls
at the White House, and at the same
time Is said to have kept up a volumi-
nous personal correspondence with Col.
Roosevelt. particularly along lines that
exonerated the colonel from having shown
favors to the Harvester and other trusts
that escaped either prosecution or public
faying. Some of this correspondence re-
Gently became public.
If Mr.. Smith has at any time done
anything notable to forward the political
fortunes of President Taft tho admins
tration has no record Of 1t, but II the
| President has been .'peeved" over this
state Of innocuous desuetude on the part
OF one Of his officials he has never made
1t known.
No Information Available.
There was nothing available at the
White House today to show that the
President has intimated to Mr.. Smith
theat he would like to have the position
of commissioner OF corporations vacated,
but there is suspicion that in the visit
Mr.. Smith made to Oyster Bay yesterday
where he consulted with Col Roosevelt
he permitted the colonel to read copy
of a resignation he Is contemplating
signing.
Senator Smith Of Michigan, who
headed the special committee of the
Senate that Investigated the Titanic
Taft about the making OF the $1,000
gold medal authorized by Congress for
presentation to Capt Rostron Of the
Carpathia- The President yesterday
Rostron and win proceed to have che
$1,000 medal prepared. He will then
invite the captain to the White House
and present the medal.
Senators Fletcher and Bryan Of Florida
today asked President Taft to give them
an opportunity to talk to him before he
is ready to name federal judge fol-
Florida. Judge James w. Locke OF the
Florida district court has resigned his
position to take effect when his success.
sor qualities. The fight is growing hot
The democrats claim that the material
among democratic lawyers is SO much
better than among republicans that q
democrat should be named. The republi-
cans declare they viii be able to pu,
the names of some good men before the
| President.
Taft and Hilles Busy.
Most of President Tafts visitors today
talked politics with him. All of Secre-
tary Hilles' visitors did so. The Presi-
dent had a pretty full engagement list,
and between business and politics he kept
busy. Secretary Hilles was kept going
with a long list Of callers. He was pick
ing up the drift Of things in various
states and absorbing suggestions and ad-
vice in carload lots. And Mr.. Hilles is
something of an absorber. The way he is
starting off is pleasing to republican lead
ers.
They are sure that when he gets a
grasp Of the situatio nand begins to
move the machinery he will make a sat
isfactory showing.
Old republican leaders who were at Chi
cago say that Mr.. Hilles showed a better
knowledge Of the local conditions and
leaders in different states than they ever
saw in a man who had engaged in the
game such short time. 1t Is the purpose
of the ne wchairman Of the national COM
mittee to get the LAY Of the land" first
and then begin operations. Besides the
many callers he is seeing daily, Mr.. Hilles
is receiving letters from all parts OF the
country telling of condieions. He has
gratulatory messages.
Refuses to Discuss Report.
HARTFORD, Conn.,, July 11.-Herbert
Knox Smith, United States Commissioners
Of corporations, refused here today to
deny or affirm report that he had ten
dered his resignation as commissioner or
contemplated doing SO. Mr.. Smith is vs.
liting his brother, e. w. Smith Of this
lefty. who is a Roosevelt supporter, COM
ling to Hartford after visit yesterday
Ito Col. Theodore Roosevelt at Oyster Bay.
THE commissioner said that he had not
mated that whatever action he did take
would be with q view to leaving himself
free to act according to future political
Developments
PLACED ON TRIAL FOR MURDER