New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-09
From Tho Tribune Bur'su
yI~a-1,t1Ctcn pr

Washington. ApIi =
TAFT AND THE "REACTIONAKiEo'
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt has been tell
! ing Illinois and other audiences that pIlol
TO President Tafts election all the reac-
tionaries Of the party We're opposed 10 MN
! but that since then they have come coru'a'-
| ~ 10 favor Mr.. Taft and are working lot
his reelection. Apparently the eN-rIVSi-
dent has forgotten some Of the hsto''
which preceded the nomination ana e'e'-
ton Of President Taft. For instance 'oi's
before Mr.. Taft Was nominated, ana ABOUT
the time that President Roosevelt was pe-
ginning 10 round up the party for MT. lalt
Senator Aldrich. then a really great power
in the party. told me that he was heart ana
soul for Mr.. Taft, although nc would not
say so for publication because that might
do Mr.. Taft more harm than good and nc
also said that he had told President hooSe-
Welt that his support could be counted on
Fx- Speaker Cannon was opposed 10 t"o
| candidacy Of Mr. Taft. but chlenE oeCa"''
Mr.. Cannon wished 20 he the candidate
himself and believed he could II fI'9'o' III
Roosevelt did not oppose hinl' "eH"'o'
Penrose who had always been sIIo"E
supporter ~ President Rcos,N"lt-so huC"
so that many believed he Woulu oe VI.
Roosevelfs campaign manager IN l"t-u'"'
the 80 00O. 600 conspiracy story was
lated from TN. White House, was taNorahI1
10 Mr. Taft. senator Nldrich had aiWhES
favored President Roosevelts policy OF
federal regulation Of railway rates.
II IS true that there had grown
UP GOODNESS between the President
and the Senator from Rhode Island az
result OF the contest over the court re-
view clause" or the first railway rate act
In his ANIMAL message ~ 1905 President
Roosevelt had said Il regard as ny far INC
most important Of all the powers | recon
mend-as indeed vitality the Important pow
er-that 90 fix a given maximum rat
which rate. after the lapse Of a rcasohap''
time. goes into fun effect, subject to review
10y the courts.
When the bill WAS under consideration.
however tho President decided that 10
would bo uuwise To- ncorporai" therein
court review clause. ana sun contest
onsued. Senator Aldrich favored the court
review proposition as did most OF The 'N-
perienced lawyers in IL" Senate After
that cooluess existed between the
Two men. although Mr.. Adrich con-
sistentlv supported all the remainder
Of the railway rate bin. IL was this
same feht which led TO the split be-
tween President Roosevelt and Senator
Crane. who had been his intimate friend,
and who when he was Governor OF Nass'-
chusctts came 10 Washington and suggest
cd 10 President Roosevelt tine anthracite
coal strike commissioner suggestion which
vas promptly and effectively adopted. Som
ato~ Crane has supported President Tart
ever since his Inauguration. That b." did
moi do so In 1905 was. 10 doubt, due more
TO the fact that Mr. Taft was regarded rs
Mr. RoOsevelts candidate tuu TO ans
other reason The assertion that IreSli ni
TAFT supported Mr Cannon for speaker Us
eoual,v erroneous Mr. Taft neither sup
ported nor opposed MI Cannon. and te
was heart ana soul in sympathy with the
efforts Of the House insurgents 90 modify
the rules so as 10 curtal the Speaker
powers Mr.. Taft believed it improper n
view Of the constitutional provision for
three distinct and coordinate branches Of
the government. for the Executive so far 20
interfer, in the affairs of the llOus" as 20
lend his influence iu d fish' over the Speak
ership. and he pursued hands-ou pol''.
II is Of interest however that the iTri tim"
Mr.. TAFT came TO Washington after iia
election IN December. 1908, hc found await
ing him a letter from President Roosevelt
urging him to set e. tim" FOR an early con
C.reucr with Speaker Cannon. who was
ALREADY making fight for reelection.
This conference took place on December e.
and IN these dispatches O. The Tribune oi
December n the full story Of the confer