Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-05-17
l0WDEN FAVOR
ITE WITH TAFT
Ex-President Taft Express
Belief Lowden has
Best Chance for
Nomination.
COMMENDS CUMMINS
Is not Politician and Will not
be at Chicago Con-
ventiOn.

- vVAkOxOkks
IF / were a betting man and willing
to take a long risk by picking a fav-
orite for the Republican presidential
nomination." said William Howard
Taft Thursday evening at the informal
dinner rendered him by the Rotary
club, ~ would gamble that Governor
Frank o. LOwden has the best chance
to win out ut the Chicago convention
II cannot remember" he went on,
"when the nominee has been so uncer-
tain, however, at a time so near to
the convention. No man will enter
the convention with anywhere near
enough to nominate and l believe that
IOwden is in the best shape to COM
bine sufficient strength to carry off the
nomination."
Ex-President Taft had no more than
stepped off the train here Thursday
afternoon and looked about a minute
than he remarked, well, l believe l
have been here before" He was told
that he vas here Watermelon day in
1911 and then he recalled his visit.
Eyes, l remember it we'll" said he, lit
was raining and l recall that l cut a
big melon on the platform"
Mr.. Taft was accompanied here by
his private secretary, Wendall w. Mis-
chler. Mr.. Mischler has been with MI.
Taft for fifteen years and was here
with him in 1911. Wednesday they
were in Rochester, Mimi, where Mr..
Taft spoke. They were entertained
Wednesday night in the palatial home
of DR.. William Mayo, one of the fam
Gus Mayo Bros. Z,
Not Going to Chicago.
Mr.. Taft is not, and never has been,
a pOlitician. He is rather inclined to
shun politics. Asked whether he eX-
pected to attend the Chicago conven-
ton, he replied that he did not. He
has been out on Il lecture tour for
three months and his engagements con-
tinue nearly up to the middle Of June.
The Chicago convention is June s. He
will be at Grand Junction, Colorado,
June Z and from there jumps to Ma
rengO, Iowa, June 8. He is working
to the coast nOw. From here he goes
to Red Oak, thence to Denver and
from there to the Pacific northwest,
including Seattle,
Comments Cummins.
At the dinner Thursday night, which
was delightfully."- free from tOrmalities
of any kind, Mr.. Taft took occasion
to commend Senator Cummins OF Iowa
as the author of the Cummins-ESch
railroad bill. He especially commend
ed that section of the bill, written by
the Iowa senator but stricken out by
the senate committee to which it vas
referred, f%Orhidding strikes among rail
road men. Mr.. Taft held that this part
of the bill was in line with present
day sentiment and the spirit OF the
League of Nations. The bill provided
legal methods of settling all difficulties,
doing AVA entirely with the necessity
for the strike. But the labor interests
fought it and the senate committee
bowed to the demands Of labor leaders.
MIR. Taft seemed to he quite well III
formed as to Iowa politics.
A Hard Worker.
MIR. Taft, says his secretary, is an
indefatigable worker. While IN the
White House, Secretary Mischief, who
was not then his private secretary, Dut
held the position of stenographer, call
ed the president every morning mt 5:oO
o'clock and began taking dictation ut
& o'clock. And, speaking OF the hard
Sims of continuous travel every day
and l~ecturing every night, Mr.. Mlschlef
saws that this sort of work is MI play
for Mr.. Taft. Yesterday, for instance,
they left Rochester shortly after U
O'Clock in the morning M rode IN y
day coach on Il local train until 4
O'Clock in the afternoon. The trip was
largely an ovation and the eX-presldent
visited cordially and freely all the way
along the line with people who came
in and out of the coach. His health
is better while out travelling II when
ut home in New Haven, Connecticut.
He works s~trenuOusly while enfoute'
debating legal opinions ana DONG
other work, including the writing OF
a certain number of editorial artlcies
every week for the Philadelphia Pubic
Ledger syndicate.
Enjoys Himself.
He seemed to enjoy Immensely inc
lack Of fOrmality ut the Rotary clNp
dinner. He told many amusing anec-
dotes concerning himself and other
men in public life, laughing heartily al
the many jokes told on himself anu
others, Despite their political differ
ences. he ana William Jennings Bryan
are close personal friends, as likewise
are many public men who are always
on opposite sides politically. Fl1teen
local me attended the dinner. spend
ing a delightful hour and a half with
n Of America greatest STATESMEN ana
diplomats, who easily made himself
mart and parcel with them. Mr.. TAFT Is
in no a distant or reserved, but
seems TO thOrouhly enjoy meeting and
conyersing with people in all walks
ri life over the country. He Is now
~ years of age, carries his 6 well
and has not been so well physically In
.on..r ns hn l. fnllnY.