The Washington herald., 1912-02-26
HOW THE TWO MEN
BECAME RIVALS
co.ti...s fro. r.s. ono.

/ pearance Of the incoming President tn
| limelight Immediately shifted from tn
| White House to the Boardman residence
A long string OF prominent callers troop
| ed to the Boardman home day after day
| and the newspapers reported fully tn
| doings Of the President-elect. Presiden
Roosevelt Is said 70 have commented dis
paragingiy to members Of Congress OF
| the action Of Mr.. Taft In having com.
to Washington and undertaken confer
ences with statesmen before the Roose
welt administration had breathed its last
But Mr. Roosevelt. after his departure
from Washington in a binding blizzard
gave evidence of what many Republican,
regard as a sincere desire to let Presi.
dent Taft establish his administration
free from the Roosevelt domination
These Republicans add, however. tina,
Col Roosevelt. while maintaining an at
titude Of isolation, always hoped and ex'
pected to be consulted in regard to the
policies that President Taft should In
augurate and carry out. It was in this
manner that he expected to exercise his
influence, but Mr.. Taft, while endeavor-
ing to adhere to so-cailed Roosevelt pol
lcies as he interpreted them. early gave
evidence OF an intention to think and act
for himself.
In few weeks following the inaugura-
tion. before Mr.. Roosevelt sailed for
Africa, frequent letters passed between
the two men, and while the colonel was
on his big hunt Mr.. Taft received sew
eral communications from him describing
his experiences. From the frat. however.
there was apparent restraint between the
two In regard to the discussion OF legis-
lation and other affairs OF the admins
tration. Republicans In Washington have
been inclined to the opinion that the
President himself has rather resented
the popular impression that Roosevelt
nominated and elected him, and this feel
ing has undoubtedly operated as a bar
TO the continuance OF close relations.
Put Money Above Brains.
Roosevelt's friends themselves acknowl-
elge, however. that one OF the incidents
which the colonel harbors against Taft
was the character OF a letter which Pres
ident Taft wrote TO Col. Roosevelt just
before he sailed for Africa The Presd-
dent sent Maj. Archibald w. Butt, his
military aid. to New York to deliver this
letter to the colonel as he was embark
Ing. In this letter President Taft wished
the colonel a pleasant journey. and
thanked him again, for what he had done
Tor him. The Presidents letter Is said to
have closed with the expression, II owe
more to Charles p. Taft and YOU than
TO any other two men on earth" or SUBJ
stantially those words. Roosevelt's
friends have made no secret Of his an
ger over that letter. They say that he
brandished II and cried:
Good Lord! So he puts money above
brains. does her.
Whether that was a tactfuI letter for
the President 10 write Roosevelt is a
question for political philosophers to
haWN
friends that he intended TO pay Roose-
Welt the highest compliment at his com
mand.
The Pinchot Incident.
With the refusal OF President Taft TO
allow Clifford Pinchot. Roosevelt's
friend. 20 dominate the affairs of the
Department Of Agriculture, followed by
his dismissal from Office, the taIe-bear-
ers and the trouble-makers began TO
get busy. Mr.. Pinchot himself Travelled
10 Italy TO get Rooseves's ear first and
10 poison his mind against Taft. Ro,
welt returned to this country after his
African hunting trip. under the impress
sion that Taft had been backsIIdinr
rom the so-called Roosevelt policies,
Ind the colonefs friends declare that
lis conviction in this regard has steadily
been growing, and that is the real ex-
OF his present entrance into
he race. The Roosevelt supporters in
list II Is matter Of principle with the
colonel a desire 20 save his policies
md to champion the peoples rights.
Taft Republicans insist, on the other
land. that the charge of backsiiding on
he part OF the President is absolutely |
that Mr.. Taft has carried |
tut the Roosevelt policies, notably the
Lnt-trust law campaign, with a frmer |
land and more consistently than did
himself. These Taft support
RS add that all this talk about Roose- /
-elt policies Is merely a cloak to cover |
he coloners desire for power, which, |
hey contend, is the controlling motive /
q the announcement OF his candidacy.
Hns Had Faith I'm Roosevelt.
President Taft's friends say that the
residents confidence In Roosevelt, his
norts to put the most commendable in
expectation on all OF Rooseveit's acts;
is disinclination to listen to the stories
{ tale-bearers and his continued ac-
of his obligations to the
x-President have been little less than
He has been the last to
Omit that Roosevelt had turned upon
i'm.
Since Roosevelt and Taft parted in the
enate chamoer on March 4, 1903, they
ave met just three times-once in New
ork City at q public gathering, soon
fter the Inauguration: once in New
Iaven, in the fall OF 1910. and again in
altimore last spring The last two
eetings tended to widen the breach be-
Teen them. Roosevelt visited the Presi-
snt In New Haven. when he Roosevelt)
as involved in his fight against the
ID guard IN New York State. After
lat meeting. II was said that Roosevelt
Id sought the conference with Taft be-
luse he was in desperate straits IN his
ew York State fight, and needed the
fuence that such a meeting would have
oon Federal oficeholders In New York
ate. Roosevelt denied this and showed
ZEN resentment
After the Baltimore meeting last spring
,wspaper dispatches were sent out that
oosevelt had assured Taft that he
ould support him for denomination, and
is was promptly denied by the colonel.
Through all OF the remarkable history
the relations OF these two men In the
st three years. President Taft up until
st night had insisted. when talking
til his friends. upon taking Roosevelt
his word that he would not again &C.
pit a nomination fer the Presidency.
Roosevelt Manager in Texas.
san Antonio. Tex. Feb. 2.-Cecil Lyon,
r many years Republican national COM
tteeman for this State, has been IN
- ~ A. L