Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-04
READY FOR A CELL IGNORES ROOSEVELT
Michigan Banker Is Anxious to Taft Will Not Allow Friends to
Begin Prison Term. Attack Ex-Presdent.
FREELY ADMITS HIS GUILT HE FEELS NO BITTERNESS
With Custody President Cannot Understand Enmy
United States Marshal Of Former Friend.
SHOCK TO HIS ASSOCIATES HEARS CHEERFUL REPORTS
MostC Callers
Hieblv Respected Bankers and Statement Has
Of State Atmo.ph
Taft Will Not Allow Friends to
Attack Ex-PreSident.
HE FEELS NO BITTERNESS
President Cannot Understand Enmity
Of Former Friend.
HEARS CHEERFUL REPORTS
Callers at White House Tell Him
Stand Pat" Statement Has
Clarified Atmosphere.

President Taft has decisiveIy On sseu the
word down the line that his .riands must
not assault former President Roosevelt,
no matter what the ultimate intentions
of the Oyster Bay statesman ara.
The President wants the nouinatisr on
his own merits. his own record, and he
does not want II by decrying the fermer
Presiden, or his friends. There viii be
no Clifford Pfnchots in the Taft ranks
going over the country. lambasting Col.
Roosevelt and IL the President finds that
any intimate friend is doing SO he will at
tempt to stop il at once.
In his talks with friends today the Pres
ident was immensely puzzled over the talk
that Col. Roosevelt is hostile to him. Mr.
Taft told those who talked with him that
he had done nothing that he could re-
member. either directly or Indirectly, to
cause any feeling toward him on the part
of his old friend Roosevelt He could not
understand for a minute the talk chat
Mr.. Roosevelt would fight him. He will
not believe this until he sees II In such
form that he cannot doubt.
Not Bitter Toward Roosevelt.
1t is an interesting fact In connection
with the present situation that In the
many talks Of visitors to the President
regarding Roosevelt-most of the talking
being done by the visitors. some OF them
bitter to the ex-President-Mr. Taft has
never said word that could be ton
strued as unfriendly TO Mr.. Roo eveit.
He has repeatedly referred to his graft
tude to the ex-President.
Republican leaders at the White House
said today that they were absolutely con-
fident that when Mr.. Roosevelt surveys
the probable future. and sees thai IL he
were nominated following q bitter. fight
with the Taft people his defeat wocld be
almost inevitable, he will check sfe &C
tions of his friends that give color 20 the
current talk that he is willing Mr.. Roose-
Welt. it is pointed out, has few. II any.
equals In this country as q student or
politics and men. 1t 10 easy for him 20
see that his nomination over TAN would
make him thousands OF enemies. who
would knife him in November.
Thinks RoossvslG- Tao ahrswd
Roosevelt is far too shrewd a man to
get into this game now" said one Oc the
biggest men In republican politics today.
'.He would be defeated in the most crtish-
ing manner If he were able to defeat Taft
for the nomination. He would probably
lose the nomination. make TIE election OF
Taft impossible and hurt himself 30 seri-
ously that he would never again be con-
sidered for the presidency.
II am willing to make the prediction
that there will not be another Roosevelt
scare of consequence and that the nomt-
nation of Taft will be conceded on all
sides in less than two months. Taft VIII
be nominated, too. without the enmity Of
Roosevelt He will have the support oil
Roosevelt. open and active. for election.
and this will be Of immense value IN the
campaign"
President Is Cheerful.
In the face OF hundreds OF reassuffng
kilograms rolling into the White House
from all parts of the country. and or
words of cheer from political friends in
Washington. President Taft today was In
excellent spirits. which sent his callers
away confident in their attitude that ne
will be renominated next June and that
he will stand as good q chance as any
democrat in the November election. 1.
The Roosevelt scare" had passed. like
one of Willis Moores atmospherical lows.
into the Atlantic ocean or some other
region. The Presidents spirited declara-
tion that he was in the fight to the end
had cleared the atmosphere remarkably.
to the views of dozens of call
ers. They were sure that the Taft
forces in all directions would rally fast
HO@, dSSeII tHcIF purposes dUO tcdVe DO
doubt in the minds of the country OF the
back Of the President
Il told President Taft that he would
have the twenty four votes of Tennes-
sec on the first ballot and every ballot
thereafter. IL there should be more
than one. declared Representative
Austin. the leading republican repre-
sentative OF that state. after a short
talk with the President
Assure Taft of Votes.
That was the kind OF talk that
emanated from all the callers. some of
whom. however. were not disposed TO
be quoted at this time. Senators
Crane. Nelson. Smoot. Dillingham;. :
Brandegec and Brown OF Nebraska told
the President he c0uI. stand pat with
the certain knowledge that the delega-i
tions Of their respective states-Massa-
chusetts. Minnesota, Utah. Vermont.
Connecticut and Nebraska-would be
for him to the end. Vice President
Sherman. ex-Speaker Cannon. Repre-
sentatves Mckinley and Madden of
Illinois and many other republicans
saw the President. most of them gIv-
ing him words OF cheer and encour-
agement.
Republican politicians at both ends of
the Capitol shut up like trap today over
the Roosevelt-Taft situation. Guarded
talk in private conversation. nothing TO
say for publication: this was the policy
OF most of them today.
II would be quite within the bounds or
safety to venture the assertion that the
opinion prevails widely among leading re-
publicans of the House and Senate that
Col Roosevelt IL playing waiting game
as a receptive candidate for the presi-
Dental nomination, provided conditions
turn out favorable.
No Longer Scout It.
Men who a month ago secuted the idea
,f Roosevelt's entry into the field now
admit privately that they can place mo
,ther construction upon recent happen
ngs than that he il holding himself free
md uncommitted, to announce his candi- :
lacy later IL he sees Mt or to keep out
II the fight II IL promises to be losing
,ne.
advanced by those enthun-
lstic original Roosevelt men" that the
COLONEL would. be eune winner at the
,olis in November. Some Of the old.
ashioned kind, the moesbacke who Hnger
n the vanguard OF the up-t0-date pro
rressiyes, are fearful that the country
ni9ht resent Roosevelt's unl1lushln9 CAP
uring OF the nomination, and take y out
n the party" However. they oau4t
hat their ideas may be behind the 6nee.
One thing there was today hOyeYof.
spon which agTeement wAs 9ounq.
aamsiy. that President Tsst's pronst Is-
ace ''swattsr' the aoossvs's povsnAse
80 n