Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-07
FRIENDS Of TAFT
WILL DESERT HIM
FOR JUDGE HUGHES
President Marked for SIaAgh
ter by His Own Friends Who
Are Afraid of His Political
Weakness


WASHINGTON. D. C., June "A
well-thought-out plan to deprive both
William H Taft and Theodore Roose-
Welt Of the Republican presidential
nomination has been devised by lessR-s
of what is known as the regular fac
ton Of the party. The men who enter
tain designs hostile to Taft and Roose-
Welt, are the men who forced the nomi-
nation of James S. Sherman, Of New
York, for the vice presidency four years
ago, in opposition to the wishes of
Messrs. Taft and Roosevelt. On the
surface, these leaders favor the re-
nomination of President Taft. They
have come to the conclusion that Mr.
Taft would be certain of defeat II
nominated. and that there would be no
more hope Of success in naming him
than there would be in the attempted
burglary of an empty safe.
| Vice President Sherman. Elihu Root.
Joseph G. Cannon, William B. McKin-
ley, Senators Smoot. Crane, Penrose and
Gallinger are the members Of the Old
Guard who, outwardly supporting Presi-
dent Taft, ere secretly devoting their
time and talents to the introduction Of
third man in the race.
They will go to Chicago prepared at
the proper time, to present the name Of
Charles z. Hughes. of New York. asso-
ciate justice Of the United States SUI
preHne court, for discussion as the pres
idential candidate. The members Of the
Old Guard mentioned have practically
given up hope of nominating President
Taft. and they win go to any extreme
to defeat Colonel Roosevelt They are
far from convinced that they win be
able to attain their ends, but they are
| in a desperate situation and intend to
play the game to the limit.
It is safe to say that practically
every regular Republican leader Of
prominence is firmly convinced that he
will pass from public life, if Colonel
Roosevelt is again elected to the presi-
dency. 1t is a fight for survival and
therefore a fight to the finish.
Although the RooseveIt-Taft forces
were in control Of the Republican con-
vention of 1908, the Old Guard was sue
eessfuI IN its efforts to nominate Mr.
Sherman as the vice presidential candi-
date. The scheme to put sherman on
the ticket with Taft was Matched long
before the convention was held. II was
conceived and promoted in secrecy. Dur
ing the closing days of the fight on Mr..
Taft, who was o KID by Mr.. Roosevelt
the Old Guard sought to get some glory
out of the contest. They went to work
IN behalf of Mr. Sherman. and the name
Of the New Yorker was sprung Upon the
convention with a suddenness that
swept the Roosevelt-Taft leaders OF
their feet
The representatives of the admins
| tration were so busily engaged in the
work in behalf of Mr.. Taft that they
gave scarcely any attention TO the sec
ond place on the ticket They had
made no plans in advance bearing on
the vice presidential nomination. When
the fight for the presidency was over.
suggestion was made that either Sena-
tor Dolliver or Senator cummins would
make a desirable running mate for Mr.
Taft. Dolliver and Cummins were iden-
titled with the progressive faction Of
the party
That faction. not as strong as It is
today, was not in position to force
the nomination of either Dolliver or
Cummins, despite the fact that Roose-
welt and Taft were favorable. The adj
ministration< forces were also handi-
capped because Of the unwillingness OF
either Dolliver or Cummins to go on
the ticket with Taft. All the conditions
were favorable to the Old Guard, and
Sherman was nominated, much to the
disappointment of President Roosevelt.
and to the utter disgust Of Mr.. Taft
It became known here today that
some weeks ago President Taft was
strongly urged by certain regulars to
give coutnenance to a movement for
third man. The president, so the story
goes, agreed that his nomination prob
ably meant party defeat. However, his
reply to the suggestion that he should
consent to be sidetracked was couched
in language so expressive that ii was
never repeated. The regulars above
named are going to Chicago in an ef
fort to push aside both the president
and predecessor and place the standard
in the hands of Associate Justice
Hughes. They are not sanguine OF sue
cess, but the stakes are so large that
they intend to play the game as indi-
Gated.