The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-17
BUSINESS ISSUES
ELKINs SAYS THEY WILL DoMI-
NATE NEXT CAMPAIGN.
EXPECTS BREAK IN SOUTH.
TALKS FREELY AFTER INTERVIEW
WITH PRESIDENT.

fectiOns From the Republican
Party May Occur In the North, hut
West VirRinian Looks for Gains
in Southern States-Too Early to
Talk About Next Republican Cam
didate.
Washington, June Ex-senator Elkins of
West Virginia, in casual conversation
on national politics. propheses that in
the next presidential campaign there will
be re-alignment of parties on business
issues, and the republicans will make per-
cephble gains in the South and sustain
considerable losses in the North.
Senator Elkins is an intense partisan
and probably views the situation through
Republican spectacles. At the same time
he Is one of the most aggressive, progress
sive and successful business men in pub
lie life to-day, and when he talks with
the understa nding that his utterances are
not to be placed between quotation marks,
he is both interesting and instructive.
The conversation had with him at the
White House yesterday arose upon the
question Of who the Republicans are like
~ HUIullldl6 LOT Tue PiCSlhChNy " SuN-
coed Mr.. Mckinley. The West Virginia
Senator having just left the President
was disposed to talk with the greatest
freedom and with evident sincerity. There
are few men in the country better
equipped to discuss national Issues from
a purely practical business standpoint
than the Senior Senator from West Vir-
ginia, and 1 violate no confidence in en-
deavoring to repeat In substance his
views on the subject.
In the first place he stated that II was
idle to attempt to speculate upon a nomi-
nation which is not to be made for three
years to come. If a selection had to be
made tomorrow or next week, he said
there would be less difficulty in ventur-
ing guess. The names of several sena-
tors who have presidential aspirations
were mentioned, but Senator Elkins
shook his head doubtfully and remarked
that while he entertained the highest ad-
miration for all Of these gentlemen, and
believed any one of them would make an
acceptable presidential candidate, he had
grave doubts as to whether the country
will look to the Senate to furnish the sue
cessor Of President Mckinley.
COngressmen Make Presidents.
The House, he said with great frank
Eess, is better hatchery for presidential
candidates than the Senate. 1t is not un-
likely that some leader may spring up
In the House before the next convention
meets, deliver a great speech which will
make great impression upon the coun-
try which may lead to his nomination for
the Presidency He was not prepared to
point out a presidential possibility In the
har af I1,,N ha
justified his opinion by asserting that
you can never tell three years in advance
what is going to happen in politics.
Changes and transformations are going
on all the time and in this progressive
age new issues and new leaders are con.
stantly forcing themselves to the front
Recurring to the Senate as an unsafe
and uncertain road to the presidency,
Senator Elkins laughingly suggested that
when fellow gets into the Senate, he
might as well shake hands and say good
bye to his presidential aspirations. There
seems to be disposition on the part of
the people of the country to say to
senator, NOW you are as nign as you
ought to go. Stay there, II you can"
There was a time when the vice presi-
dency was almost a certain road to the
presidential chair That custom has pass
ed away and the present indications do
not YUM 10 INe lTlFneUldIt revival
promotion along that line. There was
also time when the American mission
to Great Britain was regarded as a de-
sirable training station for a presidential
candidate, but that factor has also be-
come obsolete. Garfield was elected to
the presidency before he took his seat
in the Senate, and Harrison did not reach
the presidency until after he had been
defeated for the election to the Senate
II remember very WE'LL" continued the
Senator, talking with Harrison after
his defeat for the Senate. He was ex-
pressing considerable disappointment at
the result, and was complaining that his
efforts in behalf OF the people OF his state
we're not appreciated I slapped him
upon the shoulder Familiarity and told him
that he should not take such a gloomy
view OF the situation, and added that the
first thing he knew the people OF the
country would make him President OF
the United States. This may have been
IN off-hand guess, or an inspiration, but
1t was afterwards verified"
Based on Business Issues.
Coming back to the question of the re-
alignment Of parties in the next cam
paign, Senator Elkins SAYS the re-alIgn-
ment will be based entirely upon business
issues. The people of the South, con-
tinued Senator Elkins; now appreciate the
practical fact that business is business;
sentiment Is giving way to business en-
terprise and business success, and because
OF this growth Of commercial interest in
the South the Republicans expect to make
large gains az that section. In Alabama,
Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, North
Carolina. parts OF South Carolina and
Florida, the business people are with the
business men of the Republican party. That
is they believe In their policies and realize
that their personal interests will be bene-
fitted along Republican lines The only
difficulty I'm the way OF a general break
ing up Of the solid South is the race cues
tion, and In many of the states that sub
ject IL being dealt with In such a manner
that before a great while Il may be en-
tirey eliminated from Southern politics.
The Senator went on to say that the
thrifty. enterprising business people OF
the South have had their eyes opened 10
the fact that they are In possession of
remarkable resources for the develop-
ment Of manufactures. and they are
bending their efforts 10 take Advantage
OF existing conditions and giving less
time and attention 70 sentimental poll-
tics. In this connection Senator Elkins
declared with all seriousness that the
South, by reason Of its natural resources.
its cheap labor and excellent transporta-
ton facilities. Is rapidly becoming the
manufacturing center Of the United
States. In the meantime great factories
must spring up all over the South. while
similar institutions in the North are shut
ting down entirely or running on half
time, because Of their inability TO COM