Evening star., 1915-02-14
Sentiment Grows in East and
Middle West for For
mer President.
HE FROWNS ON IDEA
OF ANOTHER TERM
Believed Col. Roosevelt Will Flop
Back in Republican Fold.
Hughes in Public Mind.

Intimate friends of former President
| Taft have understood for a long time
that nothing would induce him to seek
another nomination for the White
House and that there are no charms
| for him in looking forward to another
four years in the executive offices.
notwithstanding his emphatic attitude
on the question, visitors to Washing
ton bring word that the movement to
put Mr.. Taft in harness again is grow
ing rapidly in many directions, espe-
cially in the east and middle west.
where there is a strong and earnest
feeling that no President ever received
less credit for his work or was so un-
fairly judged. The movement taxes the
form of an effort to vindicate the for
mer President.
Mr.. Taft it is represented from lnsioe
sources, would discourage anything
looking to bringing him forward again
as the leader and nominee of his party.
Content With Change.
That only under circumstances that
would cause a widespread demand Tor
him would he depart from his present
state of thought on the question, Is the
belief of those who know him and
have been in touch with him recently.
and he does not expect any such condf-
tion to arise. Both he and his friends
are content with the steady change OF
viewpoint as to his four years In the
White House. That the masses of the
people begin to understand him better
is said to be a source of satisfaction to
him far greater than would the pros
pect of another nomination and re-elec-
tion to the White House.
Mr. Taft despised the opportunities
of office seekers and the distribution OF
patronage. 1t was a nightmare to him
at all times. He would rather give an
hour of his time to personal chat
with an unselfish friend than one min
ute to senator or representative hunt
ing place for constituent, those VINO
were close to him know full well. The
pettiness of it all, the mean little poll
tics involved, irritated his genial ma
ture more than all the other duties Of
his Office combined.
No Relish for Quarrel.
Mr.. Taft, too, it is known. had no
relish for his quarrel with Theodore
Roosevelt. 1t was painful to him that
he was finally compelled to adopt
drastic tactics in replying to the ac-
cusations of his former friend and po-
litical benefactor. 1t was to him like
cloud shutting out the sunshine. It
Is To-Day q DllSnt upon tHe memories
of otherwise pleasant and useful days
in the public service. That Col. Roose-
welt would not tolerate the nomination
of Mr.. Taft and would inject some of
the bitterness of 1912 into 1916. with
Mr.. Taft probability. is conceded by
statesman. That Mr.. Taft would not
be happy to see Col. Roosevelt again
the leader of the republican party also
seems a certainty. The old feud. there
ally To hot
from the real goal of 1916. according
to the present view.
Think Roosevelt Will Flop.
That Col. Roosevelt will flop back to
the republican party within another
year is the general opinion Of republic
an politicians. His friends will even
seek to secure the nomination for him.
Should the present political hermit Of
Oyster Bay, however. deem the time
inopportune to make a rush for the
prize and take himself out of the fight
he will not keep hands off the contest.
1t would be impossible for him to do
otherwise, it is held. So the colonel,
as viewed now, will refuse the nomi-
nation, but will have enough to say
about who gets it to be a big element
in the presidential affairs of next year.
Whoever does get the nomination will
be delighted II ne can De sure the
colonel will not take the stump against
him.
Passenger traffic on the Oyster Bay rail-
road line is expected to increase within
the next year by visits of friends and
hackers of republican candidates who
will want to see" the colonel and as
certain how he looks upon the whole
thing and particularly upon the aspira-
tions of prominent republicans. Col.
Roosevelt has busy times ahead of him,
it is believed.
There are certain bull moose leaders
who say the colonel will never go
back upon that party. even II the funer-