The Washington herald., 1912-01-05
TAFT OPPOSITION
SOON CRUMBLE
Continued from PaEs One.

had Just cause for umbrage. for Mr..
Ddckinson's papers read little more
than like political stump speech. and
practically made out the ex-President
70 be little short of a business incom-
petent. The Republicans who favor
Tafts reorganization. answering this
criticism. said to-day that Roosevelts
anger over the Trenton papers was
merely another excuse in his deliberate
course OF antagonism to the President
Of the United States. One OF the most
important Republicans in washington
familiar with the situation. said;
Il believe in Taft. 1 believe he has
made an upright President Yet l was
utterly astounded when I read the ref
erence TO Roosevelt In the steel suit
papers filed at Trenton. I am convinced
that a Democratic President would not
even have spoken Of his Republican pred
ecessor as Roosevelt was spoken OF IN
that suit. I investigated the subject.
The President OF the United States, you
know, Is not called upon to make any
explanation Of such affairs. But
learned that the President was in Chicago
when those papers were filed; that he
was totally unaware, either from Mr..
Wickersham or Mr.. Dickinson, that Col
Roosevelt's name was to appear In those
papers. and that when the President
read in the Chicago newspapers the ref
erence 10 Col. Roosevelt he had a con-
versation with Mr.. Dickinson. IN which
he strenuously criticised the reference to
Col Roosevelt This know to be abso-
lutelY true"
Blame ON Wiekersham.
The Roosevelt men. replying to this.
insist that President Taft should have
been Informed by his Attorney General
as to the exact nature OF the wording
Of the papers IN so important a suit.
and that Mr.. wickersham should have SO
informed his chief before a document
Of that magnitude was spread broadcast
to the public
Important Taft men. while depIoring
the reference made to Col Roosevelt In
the steel suit papers filed at Trenton.
insist that Col RooseveIt's activities in
opposition to President Taft began long
before that event. They recounted num-
beriess evidences OF Cot RooseveIt's an
noyances with his old friend. whom he
nominated for the Presidency in l9OS but
they are almost too trivial to mention
And they mark according to supporters
Of the President. only the chagrfn and
disappointment on the part Of Roosevelt
that he was not permitted TO dominate
icult to impress upon the Taft people
the fact that Col. Roosevelt Is n candi-
date for the nomination. They were
aware OF Col. RoOsevelt's personal criti-
cisms OF the President and OF his occa-
sionai public opposition to certain of
the Presidents policies. but they did not
belieYR until to-day that Roosevelt would
go to the length OF becoming candidate
for the nomination himself. either In tile
hope OF securing the prize. or by his
course OF opposition to create a situation
which might eventually mean the
shunting OF Taft in the national conyen-
tion and the nomination OF Republican.
the man now most frequently mentioned.
Associate Justice Hughes. OF the Supreme
Court OF the United States.
Neither Faction OPtInIstIe.
There are Taft Republicans here and
Roosevelt Republicans and all sorts of
Republicans who do not believe for a mo-
ment that any Republican can be elected
President this year. They do not hide
these utterances. They tell them on the
street corner. in the club. and In the cor
ridors of hotels. These Republicans seem
to be utterly discouraged over the future
Of their party this year. They are hop
ing that the Democrats will by some
blunder this winter retrieve the Republi-
can sltuhuoh. Ihey are also hoping that
President Taft, by some stroke, will re-
habilltate the Republican party in the
eyes of the nation A great many of
these Republicans believe that President
Taft could redeem the situation by tact
fully adopting the course which would
relieve the farmers Of the country OF
future fear as TO the reciprocity measure.
This reciprocity measure is dead beyond
resurrection while Pemier Borden is at
81 - ~.
but according TO Republican United
States Senators and members Of the
House of Representatives, the farmers
of many States and districts believe that
so long as this measure remains on the
statute books II is a menace to them.