The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-06-07
ODELL'S EUROPEAN TRIP is UN.
DERTAkEN TO INDUCE HIM
TO RUN.
Will Make An Appeal to the Ambassa-
dor to Become Candidate for
Governor.

Odell has gone to Europe for a trip of
four weeks. He says that his going
has nothing to do with politics in gen
eral, or with New York state poll
ties in particular, but it will be we'll to
accept the governors statement with
a saline allowance.
The seasons rush to Europe has not
yet begun, and. besides, it seems
strange that a practical politician like
Governor OdeI would so away just in
| advance of the meeting of the quad
rennial nominating convention of his
| party. He expected to be at home in
| time for that convention. but it isn't
at all certain that he will be.
| The well-defined rumor that he has
gone away in order to find suitable
republican candidate for governor of
New York, and that he will spend some
| days at the American embassy in
| Paris, trying to prevail upon Ambas-
SadOr Porter to come home and relieve
| the New York situation by accepting
! the gubernatorial nomination, finds a
| Judgment in the minds of so many
shrewd men in both parties here that
one is more than aIf-inclined to ac-
cept it as being true.
With the right man nominated for
| governor. Roosevelts chances of car
rying New York would probably be
improved by at least $4,000 voters.
OdelI, having displaced Platt, is now
the real manager of the republican
party in New York, and as such re-
sponsible for the personnel of the
state ticket. the conduct of the cam
paign, and in a measure the result at
the polls. He feels that he is in a
very delicate situation.
He talked the matter over with the
president on his last visit to Washing
ton, and his trip to Paris is thought
to be the direct result of that talk.
Armed with an Endorsement from
the president, Odel will make no ordi
nary appeal to Porter. who may feel
like acquescing whether it suits his
own personal inclination or not.
If the president really thinks that
| Porter ought to run for governor,
there won't be anything for Porter
to do but come The presidents wishes
have the force of command to those in
the consular and diplomatic service.
Working for 1908.
Odell is ambitious. He thinks that
| with proper management he may be
republican candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination in 1908, with a chance
for winning. He doesn't want to do
anything in his capacity of responsible
manager of the New York republican
party that may work against him la
ter on. It's therefore up to him to
elect a republican governor in New
York this year and carry the state for
Roosevelt If he does the former, the
latter will follow almost as a matter
of course.
Odell might nominate one of his
own henchmen, but obviously that
would be unwise. The contest be-
tween him and Platt is very recent
and the wounds it produced are still
raw and bleeding. A brave attempt
has been made to hide them, but it
has not been altogether successful.
Platt has taken his medicine. and
there will be no bolt. But it is easy to
be disinclined to rally enthusiastically
! to the support of one who helped Odell
turn PIatt's picture to the wall in the
| famous amen" corner at the Fifth
avenue hotel To nominate such a
man would be to run needless risk,
| and since there is so much at stake,
Odell is not willing to do it. So he
| goes to Paris.
Ambassador Porter has been out of
the country since 1897, and is not con-
nected with either faction, but as can
didate for governor would be accept
able to both. With Roosevelt for
president and Porter for governor,
Odell thinks there ought to be no
question as to how New York will go
and in this he has the Endorsement of
all his best advisers.
1t is possible that this theory of the
governor -chairman's unusual trip to
Europe at this unusual moment. may
not be borne out by developments, but
if is safe to keep an eye on Odell, Por-
fer and Paris for the next ten days or
two weeks.
25.OO0 Votes Involved.
There is at present no means of as
certaining definitely what there is in