Salt Lake Tribune | 1908-08-19 | Page 2 | Expecting to Gain in the Solid South

'EIPECTIAS II (All il THE SOLID SOUTH Southern Members of Itcpuhli-. Itcpuhli-. can National Committee Talk With. Much Optimism. HOT SPRINGS. Va., Aug. 18. Through tho visit hero of It. V. Oulahan. director of tho literary bureau of tho Republican natlonnl committee, Mr. Tnft was enabled to gain at. first hand the results re-sults of tho recent conference to Chicago which marked the opening of the western branch of the committee headquarters. Members of the committee from the west and south participated In this conference and their report of political conditions In the sections of the country represented by them was given to Mr. Taft as decidedly de-cidedly encouraging. Mr. Oulahnn Indicated that there wns a real element of surprise In the optimism of southern members of the committee. This was based, ho said, on what was regarded as reliable Information to the effect that Mr. Taft's personality was a decided and Increasing clement of strength to the ticket In tho south. Mr. Oulahan said nlso that In the south there seemed' to bo an outspoken sentiment that the present nnd continued prosperity of that section depended on the perpetuation of governmental policies. Tlie situation, particularly in several of tho western stales, be told Mr. Taft, was soemlngly changing for tho better from the Republican Repub-lican viewpoint.