Show TAFT SAYS JOHNSON CANNOT PREVAIL OVER CONSERVATIVE FORCES Former President Says Controlling Influences Influence at Chicago Will Be Such as to Eliminate California California Cali Cali- fornia Senator as a Probability WITH the conservative forces of th the Republican lican party in control at at Chicago Senator Hiram Johnson is practically el eliminated i as a presidential possibility in the opinion of former President William Wil Vil liam Ham H Howard ward Taft who arrived d in Salt Lake this morning to 1 be e the prine principal pal speaker tonight at the dinner of the Ba meville club in the Hotel Utah Mr Taft is touring the United States preaching on the re requirements requirements re- re and duties of ot American AmerIcan- ism With his characteristic h c caution Mr l Taft refused to give a a definite opinion as to the outcome of the Republican national convention Wood and Lowden Lowden Low Low- den are the leading le candidates in the therace therace race so far he pointed out but when asked if It he believed the Republican standard bearer would be either Wood Tood Lowden or Ora a dark horse c countered red redby by asking when a Republican convention convention conven conven- tion had nominated a dark horse PRAISE BRAISE FOR SPROUL M Mr Tatt Taft highly praised the ability of ot William C. C Sproul proul of ot Pennsylvania a dark horse possibilIty possibility and the favorite son of ot the Keystone state but w was s reluctant to state th that Governor t Governor Sprout Sproul might be bethe the nominee When told that William J. J Bryan had predicted that Sproul would be chosen in Chicago Mr 1 Taft I laughed and retorted that Mr Bryan Is 15 more of ot a prophet than Mr Taft would care to seem to beA beA be A Republican victory this tall fall seems to be assured despite the cheerful cheerful cheer cheer- ful prediction of ot President Wilson to the contrary Mr lIr Taft stated Th Dem Democrats will make malte a tl fight ht and an organization with as much patronage to distribute as the Democrats have had always will be formidable CONSERVATIVES IN SADDLE With regard to affairs in Chi Chicago ago the conservative forces are more numerous numerous num num- erous than the radical forces and I Ido Ido do not think Senator Johnson will be nominated What Wha t do I r think of ot Governor Gov Gov- Sproul Governor Sproul is a avery avery very good man with wah long experience in politics and has made Pennsylvania a very good governor He was a state senator for tor years a journalist and a business man and he has brought all these qualifications to bear in the present administration of ot the affairs of ot the state of ot Pennsylvania Referring to the league of ot nations my hope Is that the Chicago convention convention con con- will stand by the majority of the Republican senators who have gone on record as in favor of ot the I league with the Lodge reservations Of Ot the nine Republican an sena senators tors thirty five voted for tor the league with the Lodge reservations Of Ot the remaining fourteen five Senators Senators Lafollette Lafollette La- La follette Johnson Borah Gronna and Norris Norris have have to to tomake make affidavits every time to prove prove they are Republicans nl DEMOCRATIC SITUATION I r believe belleve the Democratic lc administration administration adminis adminis- will be In control at the Uie San Francisco convention The present Democratic administration has haS' had I I the largest patronage patronage-It it has been lIeen enormous enormous in in history and it has has' been distributed along narrow partisanship I I lines to purely Democrats ats so that when the rank and file of ot the party take so little interest in In the primaries it would indicate the administration administration ad ad- ministration will be all aU powerful The administration has lost New York on account of ot Tammany Georgia on account account ac ac- count of ot Hoke Smith and Tom Watson Wat son and Massachusetts on account of ot the Irish vote But when it comes omes to count noses I think It will be found the administration forces will willbe be In sufficient strength to obtain all their desires Mr Bryan with his opposition will add much to the gaiety gaiety gai gai- ety of ot nations Mr Nr Taft refused fused to discuss the possibility pos pos- of ot his either accepting or refusing re- re I fusing the Republican nomination were it tendered him I 1 When you have the right to otter offer ine e the Republican nomination then I I will answer r that question lie he said |