New-York tribune., 1912-04-03
COMMITTEE FAvORS TAFT
National Organization for the
President, Says HiIIes.
ROOSEVELT CONTRADICTED
Washington's Letters Show OBJ
jections Applied to Three Con-
secutive Terms.
[From The Tribune Bureau. !

ScCuJlVC Cl HID.
From The Tribune Bureau
Washington. April "A large majority
of the Republican National Committee
favors the denomination Of President
Taft. according to a statement issued by
Secretary Hilles to-day. Generally speak
ing the ebullitions Of tho Roosevelt cam
paign managers are so fantastic that, in
the estimation Of President Tafts man
ayers. they carry their own refutation on
their face, and il is waste Of time to
answer them That iS tho ease with the
great majority Of tho contests which
have been announced from the Roosevelt
headquarters.
As, however. instances have been
| known whore contes,ing delegates with
out a shadow Of right, have been seated
by committees opposed to the candidate
for whom the regular candidate was in
structcd. the impression that "A majority
If the national committee was favorable
to tho candidacy Of Mr. Roosevelt. az has
been asserted by Senator Dixon. might
lead people 10 believe that. however falla-
I cious the claims of the contesting dele
gates might be. tho national committee
of tho convention
For that reason the socretary 10 tho
President took occasion to assert to-day
what is we'll known by all who keen in
close touch with the political situation
namely, that an Overwhelming ma iorty
Of the committee favors the nomination
of President Taft. Mr. IIilles adds that
the Presidents friends ask only for a
SGuar" deal, but that thoy are quite Ger
tain they can count ON that His state
ment follows:
The members Of tne national committee.
IN overwhelming majority. arc supporting
the candidacy Of President Taft This lis
demonstrated by letters, kilograms. inter
views and public statements, In which the
members have made their positions perfect
Iy clear. We are confident thar the commit
r." VIII decide all contests fairly and on
their merits. All We ask is that VIC shall
10 given real square deal.
But President Taft's nomination i'll not
depend on the decision Of tho contests. He
VIII have large majority Of the uncon-
tested delegates.
Washngton's Letters on Third Term
George Washington was not actuated
solely by personal reasons in rejecting Il
third term and his objections. which were
/ 'il VilU'lfi' tpplI'n Nl'i equal torrC 10
three terms which were not consecutive
As the contrary OF both or these proposI-
Mons has been cmphatically asserted i'm thu
publication Of which Colonel Roosevelt IS
the contributing editor Director Mckin-
ley called attention to-day To- letters Of the
first President. which. he thinks reTutc
both contentious. These letters were writ
ten 10 Governor Trumbull. Of Connecticut.
who had written TO the cx-President urging
him 10 bc candidate. presenting reasons
amusiaely like the arguments OF the
seven little Governors
ExPresident Wasningtons last letter on
tho subject shows that TrumLul after tho
FIRST refusal. replied with additional argu-
ments, urging that by reason OF the un-
popularity OF John Adams. and tho lack
Of q candidate who could command general
enthusiasm. the Federalists would certainly
their ticket. Governor Trumbull told the
ex- President that his nomination, while il
might not draw votes from the "antis''
Uhe Jeftersonian Republican party, was
the only one that would call out tho full
strength OF the Federaists
In a letter TO Governor Trumbuli, dated
Mount Vernon, July u. 1899, George Wash
ngton said
1t would bo a matter ~ sore regret 10 mo
II I could believe that serious thought was
turned toward me as his John Adams >
successor, not only az II respects my ardent
wishes 10 pass through tn" vale OF life
IN retirement, undisturbcd in the remnant
Of the days J have to sojourn here, unless
called upon TO defend my country (Which
every citizen IL bound to doD. but on public
ground also. for. although have abundant
cause to be thankful for the good health
with which I am blessed. yet ] am not in
sensible to my declination In other respects.
n would bc criminal. therefore, in me. al
though IL would he the wish Of my cOun-
trymen, and ! could be elected, to accept
an Office under this conviction, which an
other would discharge with more ability.
and this too at time when ! am thor
oughly convinced should not draw sin
gle vote from the anu-Federal side and
OF course. should stand upon no other
ground man any other Federal character
well supported: and, when ! should become
a mark for tho shafts OF enNenomed malice
and the basest Calumny TO fire at when ]
should be charged not only with rresolu-
ton but with concealed ambition which
awaits only an occasion 10 blaze out. ana,
in short: with dotage and lmbecility
All this. ! grant ought 10 be like dust
In the balance. when put to competition
with great public good. when the ac-
complishment OF IL IS apparent. But, as
no problem is better defined in my mind
than that principle, not men, Is now, and
will be. the object OF contention: and that
could not obtain a solitary vote from
that party; that any other respectable Fed
cral character would receive the same suf-
frage that ] should; that at my time OF
life Verging toward threescore and ,enl |
should expose myself. without rendering
sny essential service to my country, or an
swerlng the end contemplated, prudence
on my part must arrest any attempt OF
the we'll meant, but mistaken. views OF |
friends TO Introduce me again into tho
chair OF government.
Put His Trust in Principles.
on August 30, 17@, General Washington
wrote a second letter to Governor Trum-
bull. IN which he said:
II men. not principles. can influence the
choice on the part OF the Federallsts, what
hut fluctuations are to be. expected? The
favorite to-day may have tho curtain
-, by,,, ,o-p,orroW while Stpadi-