Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-27
We WILL WIN
TAFT's COMMENT
CHAGRiNED AT
RoosEvELT's ACTION, BUT
EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE

know we are right and am confident
we will VIM
This was the only remark made by
President Taft that savored of com
ment on the letter of eX-President
Roosevelt announcing that he would
accept the republican nomination for
president If rendered him.
! President Taft was handed the text
of Colonel Roosevelt's letter early
last evening. While he showed unmis-
taxable signs Of chagrin. he made no
further comment than the above.
| White house officials also were reti-
cent but they made no attempt to dis
guise their interest The Taft cam,
paign bureau was dark last night, Di-
rector William B. Mckinley having
left Washington at noon for Chicago,
1t has only been in the last fort
might that President Taft has been
willing to admit to his closest friends
that he believed Colonel Roosevelt
would enter the race against him for
the nomination. 1t is doubted whether
lup to the last minute he was fully
convinced that any announcement
coming from his predecessor would be
without a string attached.
President Feels Hurt
That President Taft was deeply
hurt to know that from now on, he
must engage in an open contest
against the man under whom he had
served for many years became known
soon after the Roosevelt letter was
made public.
The relations between Col! Roose-
welt and Mr.. Taft, when the latter
served as secretary of war, were ex-
ceptionally close. For months Presi-
dent Taft refused to believe that Col.
Roosevelt would oppose him for re-
nomination, and that he was con-
WINGED the colonel would turn deaf
ear to all urging that he himself be-
come candidate was known to all of
Mr. Taft's friends. These friends have
pointed out that Secretary of War
Stimson, who ran for governor of New
York with Mr. Roosevelt as his most
conspicuous hacker, and also secre-
tary of the Navy Meyer, who was in
! the Roosevelt cabinet and one of his
chiefs close counselors, were in the
Taft official family.
Cabinet May Split.
1t has been matter of every day
comment that Secretaries Stimson and
Meyer have been frequent visitors to
Colonel Roosevelt's Offices in New
York or his home at Oyster Bay.
These visits were accepted as proof
that, Taft and Roosevelt were not
wholly estranged. There is great deal
Of speculation here rs to the probable
attitude of these members of the cab
| met If their support Is given to Col.
Roosevelt their designations may be
expected.
So far as Secretary stimson is
concerned it is known that he en-
tered the Taft cabinet unhampered as
to any future political activity. Col
Roosevelt is one Of the men he Is
known to have consulted before he ac-
copied the war portfolio and 1t Is said
upon unquestioned authority, that he
stipulated he should not be expected
| to do campaign work. Yet he has ac-
cepted an invitation to speak in Chi
cago on March 5 at the Taft club
meeting.
Only as recently as last Friday Sec
rotary Meyer met a rumor that he was
about to resign with this statement:
/ III remain in the cabinet, as | In
tend to do, it is quite evident that my
loyalty will be with my chief"
PhraseoIogy is Questioned
Many who inquired as OF the phrase
ology Of the Roosevelt letter were in
tent upon learning whether 1t was
| made clear that the colonel would be
I a candidate only until the Chicago
convention made its choice, Many po-
litical leaders protested to believe that
LIZ the colonel failed to get the nomt-
nation he would head third party
Even before the Roosevelt letter
was received the bureau which has
charge of it's interests issued state
ment denying the third party rumor.
The letter issued from New York was
taken as positive evidence that Mr..
Roosevelt had no such purpose.
Notwithstanding the bOmbshell
from New York the usual optimistic
weekly review of the last week was
issued from the Taft bureau. 1t was
stated that forty-four delegates for
tTaft thus far had been elected. No
account was taken Of the several con-
testing delegations, the statement be-
| ing made that no republican delegates
opposed to Mr.. Taft had been elected.
LaFolIette Reads Letter.
It was also reiterated by friends of
the president that he was willing to
let stand his announcement of several
weeks ago that nothing but death
would take him out of the fight for
the nomination
The Roosevelt letter was read to
Senators LaFollette and Cummins,
both avowed candidates for the re-
publican nomination, but neither
would make any comment.
The Woodrow Wilson and the judi
son C. Harmon headquarters issued
statements expressing their delight
at the muddying Of republican waters
and several prominent democratic
leaders took occasion to predict an
easier task for their party in the COM
ing campaign.
Y NJ e.. A. NOTES