New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-08
SURE TO BE ROOSEVELT.
TCD
IN
PARTY LEADERS SPEAK,
No Doubt of Presidents Nomi"0t'o"
and Election Nert Year.
rrnov rnr rRIBUNE BrREAU.I

x,-,s5fprton Dec III there has existed III
ms. Quarter the slightest doubt as to tie msh
,eti,,ation in which President Roosevelt Is heid
,aa,5ine members of his party from all parts
~ tbe country. or Of the high confidence with
which they regard Kim as unquesnonaoIy TO
bs tbe victorious Republican standard bearer for
1903 that doubt must be promptly dispeled py
q correct knowledge of the views OF the very
men Of whom 1t has been erroneously SAID that
they were dubious regarding Mr.. RooseVelts
candidacy.
The Washington Post" reprinted prominently
this morning an editorial from The Cincinnati
,-o-,u,arcial-Tribune" "A newspaper formerly
edited hv Perry :. HeatE. and which has been
,ersrded as being particularly close to Senator
4se~ra The editorial which has been conspicu-
,,,er,- 5isnlaved under the caption, Let Us
T5.-s,n Together" urged the necessity Of i'm
-,,s5istely considering for the nomination some
o,bsr Republican than President Roosevelt who,
:. alleged lacked the strength to carry New
York or 10 lead the party TO victory. The repub-
li,ation Of the article in Washington attracted
much attention at the Capitol. and resulted in
une1uiyocal declarations from some OF the most
prominent Republicans.
The desirability Of disabusing the public mind
Of any question Of lack of harmony in the
Republican party. and furnishing TO the country
The assurance that Theodore Roosevelt will he
The Republican candidate for the Presidency in
19o4. is regarded as important by some of the
ahest members Of the party. 1t was believed
that the extent 10 which the President had
been indOrsed by State conventions would have
proved sufficient for this purpose, but. in view
Of the persistent efforts in certain quarters by
those whose unselfsh loyalty TO the party has
wayered lately. leading them to becloud the
facts and mislead the public, party leaders in
the Senate deem ii opportune to express them
selves in terms which must eliminate all further
possibility Of doubt from the situation.
SENATOR O. H. PLATTS PREDICTION.
Senator Platt OF Connecticut when asked if
President Roosevelt would be the Republican
standard bearer next year said:
have no doubt Of it. I regard that as set
,,a5 and settled IL ought be. / am for him
first. last and al the time. and believe the
great majority OF the Republicans in the coun-
try feel that way. President Roosevelt is a
gleat man. He does what he thinks is right
without fear or favor. and the people want
Just such man for President The murmurs
which we hear come from politicians, capital
lists. spectators and labor agitators who
not control him. 7 do not believe there will be
any other candidate for the nomination, and if
il were possible for any other candidate to
vrest the nomination from President Roosevelt.
believe he would be defeated at the polls.
SENATOR FORAKER's VIEWS.
Senator Foraker. whose judgment of national
rs well as Ohio political opinion has always
proved singularly accurate. declared:
7 was surprised and not very much sur
prsed, either 10 see The editorial referred TO.
There are some men in the party who have the
belief expressed by The author of that editorial
- is 20 be wondered az that there Should
be talk about Senator Hanna for the Presi-
dency He is a strong, forclbe man, with many
friends and with a deserved popularity for the
good work he has done for his party Never
Iheless there is not, in my opinion, any ques-
uon about the nomination Of President ROose-
Nelt as our candidate he IS in office. He
came IN under the most difficult and trying
conditions and circumstances. He has acquitted
AiHlstL spiendlGly- de mas made no mistakes
certainly not Of any Importance He is a pop
ular man with the great masses of people the
whole country over. He is brolS minded and
aggressive i'm his patriotism and in his Ameri-
canIsn. He represents the highest and best
morals of the party and the country and stands
before the people to-day known 10 all
who has been tried and who has been found
faithful. He has earned a nomination, and 1
have no doubt that il viii be given to him.
LLrIe are. OF course, one OF two places where
ne may not be as strong as somebody else
would be but il would be difficult to find any
man Id whom weakness of some kind or another
would not be developed if he were to be ser-
ousF considered as a candidate.
Everybody is cTiticising and looking for weak
spots lu the record Of President Roosevelt, be
cause il is regarded generally. I think as a
iOr-gO.a conclusion that he will be our ca Ddi-
date They are anticipating. in looking for
these weak spots, the fight. that viii come after
The rouliration has beeD ma de- b,,t II anv,o7Z,
else should enter the race for the nomination
against Mr.. Roosevelt aad become n serious
candidate, thea these same hunters for weak
you would nave quite as many developed against
any other man there can be against President
Roosevelt If not a great many more.
Looking the whole field over, l think Pres-
dent Roosevelt has given US a splendid admin
ietration Upon the record he has made we
must make the Presidential fight no matter
who our candidate is. II goes without saying
thar we shall be stronger standing on his record,
with him the leader than could be pos
sbly under any other leadership, if should
depose him.
MIR. HANNA NOT A CANDIDATE
DO you think Senator Hanna is pleased or
tiFsleased an the frequent mention of his
Is Cardidate?' The Tribune correspondent
asked. MI Foraker replied:
do not want TO speak Of my colleague in
connection with this matter, but ] don't know
:" any reason why We should not regard him
a. entirely sincere in saying that he is not and
ooeh not intend 10 become candidate i have
no doubt however, that IL is pleasing to be men
uoned IN that connection. II must be rather a
bIauislng evidence TO him Of the friendship
ela good VIII Of his many friends. For me 10
sat anything beyond this would be mere specu-
lation. and do not care 70 indulge in that.
SENATOR PROCTOR HAS no DOUBT.
Senator Proctor, when asked for his opinion.
Replied:
r. mere Is no doubt in nay mind as to who viii
prsSs republican standard bearer in 1904.
carssS roosevelt has given the country
su6 - able and even brilliant administration,
eleo- Ss republican party viii nominate and
not teisl an President for four years more. do
oidate vsS tlat the name OF any other can
conven,ieA be considered by the Republican
R0oseye, " hen II comes 20 the election, Mr..
De Is ~ ~ W. lead his party 10 a signal victory.
than ar,, - - % the great heart OF the people
lecte6 h., - .llllaate that could possibly be
IL The B,,,-t1Isef Ief party. Some. few nalcontents
every RergIj,ah ranks may hold back. but for
gain ten 6a,-seh vote that we lose we viii
H. - - ,-ilocfats President j2ooseyelt's fear