The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-22
RoOsEvELTs MATE.

Vice-Prestdency. -
Walter Wellman in Chicago Record
When a thousand politicians get In
to familiar contact and state of fer
mentation we naturally expect to have
some politics. There was politics in
the VICE Presidency business yesterday
real politics-though of a shadowy
and distant sort. According to one
theory. widely accepted, Governor od deI
and would like to sidetrack Fairbanks
and not permit that Indiana gentleman
to get too tall in the Washington tim
Der. Again, Elihu Root was working
the same side. of the road, having an
idea that his law practice may be in
shape four years from now so that he
might leave it for another sojourn at
banks was hesitating about which
would give him the best chance in
l90S-the Vice-Presidency or his seat
in the senate-and IL was even said he
danger that Theodore might conclude
he wanted another term for himself
and make it impossible for Fairbanks
charged with disloyalty to the admins
tration. You may see from this that
1t does not take much to set the politi-
cal gossips and futurity spectators 60
ing.
But this was not all. Some would
II, u, the Vies.Presidency and that he
w waaf for HIT
The fact that Cabot Lodge and Murray
Crane control Massachusetts, was
enough to satisfy those who held this
met was convinced the President want
ed Cannon because his own Stale of
New York was booming the Speaker
When Mr.. Loeb President Roose-
appearance In the hotels in the after
noon 1t was at once declared he had
come to deliver message about the
vice Prssidency. But It soon devel,,
over trains on his way home from his
vacation, that he had no message and
that he had not been In communication
with the President for two weeks.
The truth appears to be that the New
York people who are booming Cannon
10 not expect to nominate him, but do
reckon upon having a little fun. They
think the convention needs an enliv-
ening touch, and thar an effort to draft
Uncle Joe right before his face and
eyes would produce most interesting
like most conventions If 1t does not in
sist upon having something worth
whtle-something to stir the blood and
yank out few shouts of genuine en-
thusiasm. No one doubts there will be
real enthusiasm for the President when
the proper time comes, when Mr.. Root
makes his great speech--said to be one.
Of the greatest speeches ever heard in
nor Black lets loose his string of
hand-polished epigrams, or the brill
liant Beveridge shoots. off his rhetori-
cal fireworks. But this will not be
enough to satisfy the delegates who
nave come long ways to see a really
big show. They will want the real
at Philadelphia four years ago besides
Mckinley and the platform, and found
their hearts desire in Teddy. the rough
rider. It would not be at all surprls-
49,. a
Teddy in Uncle Joe. So far as the
New Workers are concerned, they do
not care much about 1t one way or the
other; They simply took the best
attracting attention, and of earning the
gratitude of the spectators by promis-
Ing a little real sport. OF course you
sentative Sherman of New York wants
to succeed Cannon as Speaker: that
LieTauer wants to succeed Hemenway
OF Indiana as Chairman of the Com
mittee on Appropriations, and that
Fairbanks chief adviser, Hemenway.
Is between the devil and the deep blue
with his ambition to succeed Fairbanks
as Senator on one side and his hope of
taking Uncle Joe's place as Speaker on
the other. But we must decline to be-
lieve that such petty and sordid con-
siderations enter into the great game.
seek to spike Cannon with the Vice
Presidency are actuated by true love
OF sport.
Uncle Joe has a reputation more than
local as a bold and successful hettor
behind two small deuces. But has he
the nerve to bluff out a convention of a |
thousand men, two-thirds of whom
have probably drawn cards in their day |
and generation? If this convention
should happen to conclude that the
only way 1t knows of having real fun
Is to run amuck for Uncle Joe a most |
interesting situation will be presented
Imagine Presiding Officer Cannon an
nouncing that Joseph G.. Cannon of IL
linois has received a majority of all
the votes, cast and is therefore nomi-
mated. Then imagine Joseph @. Can
non addressing the convention and de-
Ginning the nomination, this to be fol-
lowed by ruling by Chairman Cannon
that inasmuch as the nomination has
been declined the clerk must cali the
roll for another ballot. Then imagine
the convention entering fully into the
spirit OF the game and casting a unan-
nous vote on the second roll call for
that same Joseph G. Cannon. Another
decltnation. another roll call a third
nomination-picture the possible
though improbable scene for Yourself
Now Is the time to sell pools on the
outcome. Which will win-UncIe Toe
or the convention? Who can put I'm
men? "S"''N