Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-27
RANKS
OF TAFT'S FRIENDS
Effect of Roosevelt Announce
ment as Seen by White
House Callers.
CONFIDENT OF OUTCOME
OF CHICAGO CONVENTION
Disaffection of Former Presidents
Followers Is Becoming Widespread.
APPEAL TAKEN OVER PARTY


Comment Among Republican
Members of Congress
Strictly from the viewpoint OF Whte
House callers today the Roosevelt an
nouncement has received an awful frost
IT was intended TO inspire the Roosevelt
followers. Its greatest benefit as an in
spirator has been 10 solidfy the Taft
ranks and to array them in phalanxes for
the fight that is getting hotter each day
An unrarnished truth is that the Taft
people have never been so sanguine OF
the outcome at Chicago since the
Columbus speech and the letter of the
colonel. President Taft is immensely
gratified at the outlook and his conti-
dent hopefulness is injecting his
friends and callers.
The disaffection of former Roosevelt
followers is becoming so widespread as
to attract attention in all directions.
One notable instance of this is in the
case OF eX-Gov Bachelder of New Hamp-
shire. Gov. Bachelor was a close friend
of Col. Roosevelt
AS president of the National Grange. the
biggest organization of farmers In this
country. Mr.. Bachelder came out against
President Tafts Canadian reciprocity
program, and did more to array the
farmers against the President than any
other one man. Gov. Bachelor has writ
ten to a friend declaring that he cannot
indorse the Columbus speech of Mr..
Roosevelt. and that the speech makes
his nomination impossible. He as out
for Taft. and expresses his confidence in
the denomination and reelection o. the
President
Mountain States for Taft
Senator Warren OF Wyoming, one OF the
White House callers today. again de-
clared that the intermountain sta,es OF
the west were for Taft and would eject
delegates to Chicago for him. While say
ing nothing against Roosevelt, with whom
he was on mighty close terms when the
colonel ran things around the White
House. Senator Warren declares there Is
not the least doubt as to the outcome.
At the Capitol today some of the politi-
clans were commenting upon the fact that
nowhere I'm Col. Rooseyelt's announce
ment of his candidacy appeared any ref
erence to the republican party. the or
sanization which has made his career
possible. Scanning closer. they found
that the word republican occurred but
once in his screed and then was used as
an adjective to describe the convention
which he hopes to dominate.
They noted that he applied ne word
but they looked i'm vain VI some recoS-,
milton of the republican party.
Contrasted With La Toilette.
Some of the politicians were disposed to
contrast this omission with the attitude of
the man who up to the time of the col
oners shying of his hat into the ring was
supposed to represent the radical wing Of
the party-Senator La Toilette.
AT no moment in his career has SEN
ator LA Toilette ever allowed TO go un-
challenged undeniea the impdta-
ton that he is not a republican, first
last and all the time.
In recent magazine articles and in
his own organ. as well as In prior
speeches and announcements. Senator
La Toilette has insisted always. per
sistently and consistently. that he is.
to begin with. a republican: that he
wants the reforms he advocates exc
cuted by the republican party.
Recently. Senator La Toilette pointed
out how he had to fight and overcome
the effort in his own state to read him
out of the republican party because Of
succeeded in doing SO and he has never
let any man on the floor of the Sen
ate impugn his republicanism without
resenting ii quickly and hotly.
This record is now being cited by Sen-
ator La Follette.s friends to deny the ru
NOR that lie is contemplating heading a
third party. Ii was stated today by men
close to the senator that he will positively
not bolt his party.
1t. was also emphaticaliN announced
that the La Toilette forces will never GO
over to Roosevelt. This announcement
was regarded by politicians at the Capitol
as possessing. much significance
More Than Presidency at Stake.
Ii was quite evident today that the re-
in
serious thought of Col. Roosevelts action
with regard to its effect upon the
publican party. There is more i'm the
coming campaign. they say, than th.
mere election of a President There is d
House of Representatives 20 be elected
and the fortunes of oEe-third of the Menu
bership of the Senate, some OF them re-
publicanS. are at stake.
The members of the lower and the up
per house cannot go out into the cam
paisn on tneir own personality. They
must have a party and platform baeA
of them. Those who have been elected
to office by the voters who indorse the
republican party know that they will
have to go before the voters again with
some kind of party policy and program
to advocate.
There was much adverse criticism to-
day upon the very obvious omission
by Col. Roosevelt of reference to his
party. and this led to Inference that he
party TO the people at large That kind
of Il thing does not 90 very we'll with
the rank and file of the republicans.
many of whom nave been lighting the
battles of the party for generation.
Didn't Ask to Go to Mexico.
That little story about Col. Roosevelt
writing President, Taft as Dear Will"
and asking that he be appointed colonel
of regiment to clean up the Mexicans.
and the Presidents answer 10 Dear The
odore" happens not to have happened. ac-
coriing to the files al the White House, il
the filekeeper there knows what he is
talking about.
The story is that when Col. Roosevelt
saw the possibility of trouble i'm Mexico
last summer he Immediately wrote ~
Dear Will" offering to raise a rough
rider regiment.
1t is, well known that Col Roosevelt
has never written President Taft AZ
Dear VIII, since the 18th of March. 1909.
When Mr.. Taft. was Secretary Of War
he always addressed the President as
Dear Mr. President" and Col Roosevelt
wrote to- Mr. Taft as Dear WILL" Just
day or so before the inauguration Of