The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-01
PAINFUL EFFECT
At WHITE HOUSE
President Taft Feels Roosevelt
Statement keenIy. !.

| --...- @. : ------
Washington, Feb. 26.--President
Taft and his political managers had
no public comment to make on the
Roosevelt statement, but to United
States senator who talked 10 Mr. Taft
in regard to the statement the presi
dent said; -
| 81 know ne are right and am con-
hdent that We will be successful"
The Roosevelt statement will be re.
ceived by Republicans with varying
opinions, but all agreed that it was
stronger and more to the point than
they had anticipated. Colonel Roose.
welt, in their opinion, has said not
merely that he wonla accept the nemi;
nation if 1t comes to him, but, rather,
Il am a candidate; nominate me-
The general drift of opinion among
all shades OF Republicans. is that the
Roosevelt statement means a. split in
the Republican party which absolutely
insures the election of a Democratic
| president unless some compromise is
| reached. President Taft will never
consent now to yield in vRoosevelt's
favor unless he is absolutely outvoted
in the Chicago convention and Roose-
| velt'S supporters declare that his
| statement may be taken as absolute
assurance that he is in the fight to
| the finish. ::r..-.. ...ss.=.
In the opinion of Experimentation
Ncan politicians this means bitter
personal campaign between the presi-
dent and his predecessor, with re-
sulting situation that will make it i'm
possible for either to obtain the cor
dial support ofsthe: other after the re-
suit shall have been determined in
| the Chicago convention. 49,.
| With such split confronting the
party there will be only one hope Of
| success and that will be i'll the selec-
ton of a compromise candidate. IL
Roosevelt carries out his present In
tention that, in the opinion of political
| observers, will be the only chance for
Republican success.
This decided turn in the situation
has again revived talk of Associate
Justice Charles r. Hughes, as a possi.
BILE compromise candidate. 9. =,
| 1t is, the beliefgin Washington that
the president, in :the $epentSef Reose-
velt's gaining the snpper hand in the
Chicago convention would throw his
support ,to. Hughes or some other cam
dfdate before he would see the honor
conferred upon the former president.
Blasts Forever Warm Friendship.
The president is said to have re-
ceived' Rooseyelts statement not in
anger, but'in pain. This receipt of the
statement, !Taft's friends cay, meant
| to linn the blasting forever Of a; friend.
ship that had for years been warm and
intimate. The president was the last
to acknowledge that Roosevelt had
turned upon him and was seeking TO
undermine his political strength
The president has expressed the
| fear TO more than one Of his friends
that the fight that has been started
will result in the undoing Of the Re-
publican party in 1912 Yet the presi-
dent himself has been forced into a
situation where his friends say he will
be obliged to, wage a bitter fight and
he intends to do it with all his
strength. 3 .,.'..'.>
The president and his advisers will
try to avoid personalities although
they appreciate that Roosevelt is GER
tain to say and do things that Will re-
quire a direct reply from Mr.. Taft.
! The president feels that his back has
been forced against the wall and no
avenue has been left for him except
personal controversy with his prede-
eessor and former political sponsor.
! 1T has been only in the last fort
night 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
up to the last minute he was fully con-
WINGED that any announcement coming
! from his predecessor would be without
4 string attached. n =
| :. The relations between Colonel
Roosevelt, and Mr.. Taft, when the lat.
ter served as secretary of war;, were
exceptionally close. For months Presi-
dent Taft refused to believe that Colo
mel Roosevelt would oppose him for
denomination and that he was con-
WINGED the colonel would turn a deaf
ear to all urging that he himself be-
come a candidate was known to all
Mr.. Taft's friends. -. .......- ..
Opinions differed among the Repub'
lican progressiyes in regard to the Ell
feet of the Roosevelt statement on this
political situation. Some of the pro
Eressives OF the more conservative
type declared that the statement .was
a mistake and that it, together with
his Columbus speech, would DRAG
Roosevelt down to defeat.
Progressives Of the more radical
type, however, hailed the Rooserslt
statement with favor. IL <.
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