The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-13
WASHINGTON ID AID |NHANDE|NG CROWD Fast Schedules From That
 City to Baltimore
 ROOSEVELT AND TAFT
Understood They Are Doing Al phonso and Gaston" Act to Determine Who Shall
 Make the Race
BY WALTER HARPER

Washington, January 12.-(Special)-- Washington is getting ready 90 take care of the overflow crowds that are expected to attend the dernocratic national conven- tion which will meet at Baltimore June 2o.
 The people of Baltimore claim that they will be able to handle the crowd. It may he possible. But many people who attend the convention VIII depend upon Washing ton and other nearby cities for accommo- dation.
 Already arrangements are being made and reservations taken in Washington. quick railway service will be maintained between the two cities during the con- vention. Steam and electric lines will run cars and trains on fast and frequent schedule While the distance between Washington and Baltimore is 40 miles the time is only 40 minutes
 A man may as easily stop in Washing ton and attend the convention in Balti- more as a man living in Birmingham can attend sessions of court or transact other business in Bessemer or Ensley. Many of the newspaper men who have homes in Washington will "cover" the convention from Washington.
 The Baltimore convention will be one of the most important ever held by the dem l largest attendance ever seen at con- vention and the city of Baltimore may be overwhelmed
 This convention will be worth travelling across the continent to see and every democrat and many republicans who can possibly get there will be on hand.
 ss5aat1 f.
 It now appears that President Taft and Colonel Roosevelt engaged in the All fonso and Gaston act behind the scenes. The President is reported to have written the colonel that he does not want to run for renomination and that if the colonel will run he will step aside. Colonel Roose- welt is reported to have replied that he \ does not desire to stand in the way of the President and will not oppose him. but if he chooses to step aside he will con- sent to allow him name used in the con- vention
 It is also reported that they are closer friends than they have ever been. If this is true a mighty neat little political racket has been spoiled The country seemed to be itching for a tumble between Taft and the former President. Tt would have been a scrap worth watching. It would have furnished fat for the newspapers. Politicians who are well informed are Inclined to believe the story of the inter- | change of friendly letters between the two leading republicans. Circumstances seem to bear out the truth of the alleged situ- ation. While President Taft has declared that he is in the race to the death 1t IS l generally known that he has had his ] doubts about his own availability He knows that the chances are good for his defeat if he is the nominee lie is doubt less aware that many Of kls strongest supporters are incHned 10 BefieVe that some other man might gather and con- trol stronger following. Roosevelt and his friends believe that he could win and save the party from de- feat
 Anyway the situation s-most interesting and the developments are well worth watching even if you have to sit up all night.
 The farmer who can retire to the cor ner of his willow freside when wintry blasts. snow and sleet make him uncom- fortable in the ordinary pursuits of his trade usually contemplates with feel ing of envy those men high mp in pub lie fife who draw large salaries, ride In Pullman cars and have mellow armchairs to recline upon.
 These feelings of envy would be greatly shaken if the farmer had the opportunity to see these nore fortunate fellows in action.
 saw a good example few evenings age Senator Iorimer, who is being in- vestgated by special committee of the United States Senate, is represented by two of the biggest, fattest and best paid lawyers of Chicago. The fees eXacted by these masters of the profession are always figured in the thousands of dol lars. They have no time to fool away with cases that involve small fees.
 I happened tc be sitting in the lobby of the New Willard. hotel few even ings ago when these two men came in from a day of hard work. They made their way silently, almost sullenly to the clerks desk got their keys and walked across 10 the elevator to go to their rooms.
 They were tired. They walked heavily. Their faces pictures of weariuess. Every muscle was drawn and sore. They had put in full day of real hard, wearing toil and they showed it. And vet the days work was not done They had only accumulated material for the real work of the day. Until far past midnight perhaps they toiled over page upon page cf .wearisome testimony searched books ofa law and reference andatoned with the preparation of argu- ments.
 They were earning every dollar they are being paid in mental and physical toil They are wearing their lives out with grinding labor that has little com pensation that the farmer does not en- Joy.
 the line among men who toll in any  manner of toll varies. The compensation varies but the net result is about the same
 No man in the country works harder than the President of the United States The great responsibility that is imposed upon him evens up the sweet sensation of honor that comes to him.
 On New Years day when the Alabama farmer was contentedly roasting chest nuts at his fireside or shooting quail in the open fields, the President of the Uni ted States put in one day of hard work that left him almost physical and men, tai wreck at the end of the day.
 He stood on his feet for many long hours shaking hands with callers. He shook hands with more than 15,o0O peo- ole Crashing the hands of a few of your neighbors and friends during the course of each day you may not appre- ciate the fact that shaking the hand of 15,0D0 people is some job, but it is.
 When the reception was over and the