AT TIMES despite the cheers of the populace and the eager hos-
pitality of the reigning monarchs, Roosevelt was not completely
happy as he moved through Europe. Taft, who was to have
been "the greatest President, bar only Washington and Lincoln," ¹ had
become involved in controversies that caused forebodings in the heart
of his predecessor. Newspaper correspondents, who had flocked to the
edge of the jungle to meet the hunter of lions, reported the President's
surrender to the forces which Roosevelt had fought. Would he return
to do battle with these foes, and seek the 1912 nomination for himself?
In March and April, 1910, however, Roosevelt was beset only by doubts
and misgivings. He well knew the complications that Taft was facing.
At intervals, since March of 1909, he had been receiving reports from
Cabot Lodge. The Massachusetts Senator had, among other things, de-
scribed the administration's attempts toward tariff reduction.

"Of course," answered Roosevelt from Nairobi, "you are bound to
have dissatisfaction with any Tariff Bill." ²

Washington, while Roosevelt was in Africa, was in political turmoil,
and the details must have seemed vague and remote as they reached
the former President. Two controversies, in particular, were to be used
as ammunition against Taft when the break leading to the Bull Moose
movement finally came. The first was the removal of Chief Forester
Gifford Pinchot by Taft. The second was the struggle of insurgents in
the House to clip the autocratic wings of Speaker Cannon. Taft's action
in selecting his own Cabinet and in declining to continue Henry White
as ambassador to France were not issues until Roosevelt's anger again
distorted his memory. Roosevelt told Lodge in July, 1909, that he was
"pleased but not surprised" to hear that Taft's official family was doing
well. ³ He was disappointed that White, for trivial reasons worse than
none at all, was not to be retained at Paris; Taft had assured him that

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