Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-20

Talks of Convention Situation With
Several Of His Friends.
WILD RuMoRs OVER THE WIRE
Senator Crane Denies Report Massa-
chusetts Delegation Had Agreed
on Compromise Candidate.


appeared to interest President Taft as
much as the acute situation al Chicago
Anyhow. Mr. Taft was almost exasper-
atingty cool as he talked with cabinet
ofhcers and other friends about what is
going on in the presidential nomination
fight Through it ALL though he was
supremely confident. aboundingly content.
Telephone and telegrap hic messages all
the morning told him that his managers
had the fight we'll in hand and that he
would be nominated. The line-ups OF the
last few days had established what the
outcome would be. they said
One wild rumor flashed across the tele-
phone wires to White House reporters. A
press association called its representative
and said:
I'VE hear that President Taft will
wire Roosevelt proposing that if the
colonel will take himself out of the
race for good and hard. and stay out,
Mr.. Taft will also withdraw for har-
mony's sake. and permit compromise
man TO be nominated"
Sure of Nomination.
Nothing in it, tersely asserted a
cabinet officer just from the President g
room. 1.-The President is sure of the
nomination and sees no reason for a
compromise candidate. AS a matter of
fact. this fight must be made on the
record OF the President for the last
three years. and the party would be
weakened by naming another man..
us the President confident?"
Never more confident in his life. but
he's the coolest man you ever saw. lie
was deeply interested in some new golf
balls sent him by a friend. and was talk
ing about the record he will make with
these in his next round of golf.
STAND pat, Mr.. President" was the
message that came in from friends in all
directions. Watch for skin games all
along the line
: Hardly had the cabinet officers, Secre-
taries Knox and Stimson and Attorney
General Wickersham, left the White
House before the startling information
came across the wires that Roosevelt
had released his delegates.
1t was followed by another message,
received from a confidential source, that
the Massachusetts delegation had secretly
agreed, Senator Crane included. to leave
Taft for compromise candidate
Affairs in the executive offices began to
quicken up. The unperturbed air OF the
President became just little bit shaken.
The long distance wires to Chicago hum
med again and the telegraph wires licked
merrily away to the accompaniment of
typewriters.
Branded as a Fake"
Getting Senator Crane on the long as
lance telephone, the President asked him
directly about the report that the Massa-
chusetts delegation had secretly agreed to
stand for Senator Cummins or some other
man. Senator Crane declared the story
to be a fake pure and simple.
The story had declared that Senator
Crane was going to try to put Cum
minis across for the nomination. Under
no circumstances would the President
agree to Cummins. That has been known
for some time.
Mr. Taft's friends were suspicious of
the motives of Roosevelt in releasing his
delegates.
It's game that you must watch,
one man told the President. Roosevelt
Ia now trying to break up the convention
by permitting the delegates to begin vot-
ing for other candidates. thereby pre-
venting the nomination of Taft. When
all instructions and obligations have been
forgotten the Roosevelt people will spring
a stampede for the colonel, and he Will
be nominated in spite Of everything.
Your delegates must stand firm
And stand firm was the message the
Friends of the President feared that he
might get an idea in his head that It
would be advisable, for harmony's sake,
to release his own delegates if Roosevelt
did so, or that he might agree to with
draw If Roosevelt would do so. They
rushed him with advice not to think OF
such a thing.
Encouraged by Friends.