The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-03
FRIENDS
LAY PLANS FOR 1904
Wisconsin Senator May Be in
Presidential Race.
WOULD BE STRONG MAN
ADMINISTRATION WOULD SUP
PORT HIM.

(special Corl.espondence.l


Washington, Feb. 24.-It is stated on
what appears to be excellent authority
here that Senator Spooner of Wiscon-
sin may prove an aggressive competi-
tor for the Republican presidential
nomination in 1904. The fact that
Senator Spooner may be a candidate
also comes from excellent sources in
Wisconsin. In the event that the Wis
eon5in senator will permit the use o.
his name at the next national Repub-
llcan convention, it will not be an easy
matter for either Vice President-e elect
Roosevelt or Senator Fairbanks to
capture this honor.
Today Senator SpOoner is regarded
by his colleagues in the senate as
very able man, and by the people at
large, who have watched his course
while in the senate, he is considered
wise and conservative in dealing with
all important questions which come up
IN the upper house of the national con-
gress. Wisconsin has been anxious in
the past to have one of her faVorite
sons put upon the Republican presi-
Dental ticket In recent years no man
has gained more prominence in nation
al affairs than has the senior senator
from that state. He is particularly
strong in the northwest, and, if he
should be candidate, might draw
some of the support from Colonel
IAOOSGNSlI III the eastern States, anu
gather in a few delegates from the
middle west, where Senator Fairbanks
is supposed to have a big following.
Should Wisconsin present the name
of Senator Spooner at the next nation
al Republican convention, 1t is more
than probable that Michigan, ana per-
haps Minnesota, would flock to the
Wisconsin statesman's standard
Between Roosevelt and Spooner.
AS a matter of fact, Republican poll
! ticians in Washington at this time be-
1eVe that If Senator Spooner permits
the use of his name, the contest Will
narrow down between Roosevelt and
Spooner, and very few of them care
to predict which of these two dtstin-
guished gentlemen will win.
From a geographical standpoint,
Senator SpoOner'S location may per-
( haps be considered against him. Wis
consin is usually Republican by a
heavy majority-in presidential years
at Nashville, on the other hand,
New York and Indiana are classed as
doubtful states. This fact, however,
may not be taken into cOnSider9 ton
when the delegates vote for their
standard bearer at the next national
convention.
1t is a question, too, whether or not
I Mr.. SpoOner. who is greatly admired
/ by President Mckinley, may not
have the administrations support If he
/ decides to become a candidate, as
against Roosevelt and Fairbanks. The
understanding has been that what in
/ fuence the administration may WELD
win be directed at the next national
convention in favor of the nomination
/ of the Indiana senator. If President
/ Mckinley and Senator Hanna, backed
up, perhaps, by Senator Plat of New
York, find that Senator Fairbanks is
not able to beat Roosevelt for the
nomination, their support may be Civ
en- to Senator Spooner, as the only pos
/ sible chance of wrestling the presiden-
tial nomination from Colonel Roose-
| welt.
In any event, politicians in Wash
| ingtOn say that while Colonel ROose-
welt would probably stir up more en-
| thusiasm in a campaign than would
| Senator Spooner they admit that the
/ latters choice for the nomination for
president would not be considered an
unwIse move upon the part of the men
/ who will be delegated to nominate the
next Republican presidential ticket.
! J. s VAN ANTWERP.