The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-01-07
SHAW IN 1908.

The Washington correspondent OF
the Des Moines Register and Leader
predicts that the year of 1908 win be-
one of political readjustment. Near
ly everybody assumes that the Roose-
welt administration will have another
four years, making a compact three
terms of the Mckinley Roosevelt re-
gime, which came into being as the
result of the free silver upheaval, but
will last long after that issue is who'll
ly forgotten. The politicians who do
not like the present president have
decided to tolerate him for another
term. Then obligations will be set
tied and the party leaders can read
just affairs more to their liking and
start forth for the battles of another
decade or two. To 1908 they look for
this new start. II
Similarly the democrats count on
1908 as the year OF their deliverance.
They do not really expect victory in
1904, with so large part of the coun-
try in the hands OF their opponents.
but they plan to carry the house Of
representatives in the off year cleo
tions of 1906 and the presidency two
years later. They never yet carried
the country in a presidential battle
when they had not elected the house
two years before. One of their chief
concerns today over the coming NOM
ination is to select someone who will
not have an embarrassing claim for
Reimbursement in 1908 on the
strength of d vigorous, though unsuc-
cessful fight. For that reason they
prefer a candidate now who, by 1908,
will be too old for serious considera-
ton They want a clean slate for
that year just as the republicans ex-
pect to have.
1t seems likely that after eight
years of Roosevelt the demand win
be strong in the republican party for
western candidate. The west will
by that time be more than ever neces-
sary to Offset the growing strength of
eastern cities, which tend to be demo-
icrRtfc:- Accbsnien stand out promi-
nently were as in line for the repub-
lican nominAtio of 1908, William H.
Taft, Of Ohio, and Leslie M. Shaw, OF
Iowa. There may be others, but as
yet no distinguished party leaders
seem to be getting into line. Fair
banks does not arouse enthusiasts.
The senate is not a good place to se-
lect presidents from. as convention
after convention has shown. For
aker and Slpooner each have warm
admirers, but for different reasons.
They, too, are in the senate, and will
be there in all probability beyond
1903. The chances are that the re-
publican convention will look outside
the membership of that body.
Governor Taft's availability has al
ready been discussed in these col
umIis. Unless he goes to the su-
preme court of the United States, to
succeed Chief Justice Miller, he will
figure prominently, according to
present appearances, in the prelimi-
nary plans of four years from today.
But few people have realized the ex-1
traordinary availability of Mr.. Shaw,
who, although secretary of the treas
ury now, is too good politician to
remain in that Office very close to the
time of the nominating convention
He is geographically about what the
republicans will want AS an ex-mem-
ber of the Roosevelt cabinet, he will
doubtless represent about the degree
of Identification with the administra-
tion which good politics would. die
tate