Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-07-12

likes public lie, Is keenly sensitive to
the criticism which invariably attends
the course of the ablest Secretary of
State and be loves the freedom from
social obligations and the restraint of
an official position while Mrs. Root
thoroughly dislikes Washington life
and all that il implies to be the wife of
a man as distinguished as the former
Secretary Of War.
The fact that Secretary Taft per-
formed the duties of acting Secretary
of State throughout the period when
Mr. Hay was abroad has led to the
belief in some quarters that he would
be selected but the belief does not seem.
to your correspondent, well founded. Of
Mr. TafJ's ability there cannot be the
slightest doubt, but the President needs
his services as Secretary of War and
there the interests and the heart Of the
Secretary himself are most involved
He is almost worshipped by the Phil
pines and is devoted TO their interests,
so much SO that he has more than once
declared that nothing would induce
him to relinquish his present post
until he had obtained for "thc little
brown man" certain legislative benefits
for which he besought Congress last
winter and in the interests Of which he
is prepared to beseige it the coming
winter. Mr. Taft is more familiar with
the needs of the Philippines and the
intricacies of the Panama Canal prob
lem than any other man 10 the admin
lstration and there seems to be little
likelihood that the President will feel
that be can spare him from the war
portfolio.
Senator John G. Spooner is widely
discussed as possible successor to Mr..
Hay Of Mr.. Spooner's ability there
is no question. There is no man so
we'll versed in the laws of nations as
this prominent Senator who for many
years has been the deus ex machina of
the Senate committee on Foreign Rela-
tions. Senator SpoOner is man incap-
able Of doing things by halves and he
has made q profound stndy of the for
~ Ia IF ~ + l.
to whom the President has learned to
turn whenever the tangles of an inter
national situation becomes too great to
be dealt with satisfactorily by the
officials of the Departments of State
and in his Judgment not only the
President but the entire Senate places
complete and perfect reliance. On the
other hand, it is a grave question
whether Senator Spooner can be
induced to sacrifice the com handing
position which he now enjoys in the
Senate to accept place in the cabinet.
Had he lived. the late Senator from
Connecticut, Hon. Orville H. Platt,
would doubtless have been considered
by the President one of the most
available men for the i'm portant vacan-
CIV which must now be filed, although
It is a question if Senator Platt would
have been willing to relinquish
his place and influence in the Senate
for a ca binet office, and it is not improb-
able that the President would have
regarded the loss of Senator Platt' g
support in the upper house of Congress
as too great to have been offset by his
assistance at the head of the affairs of
State, an argument which may also
operate against the selection of Senator
Spooner.
The name of Henry CADET Lodge is
also frequently mentioned as possible
successor of Mr.. Hay although that
seems an improbable selection to your
correspondents. Senator Lodge is an
able member of the Senate committee
on Foreign Relations and a close friend
of the President but he represents the
somewhat belligerent school in inter
national politics and it is extremely
doubtful if any influence would prove
sufficient to induce Mr.. Lodge to give
IN his place among the few really
influential members Of the Senate.
The conviction of Senator Mitchell
of Oregon proved no surprise to those
familiar with his conduct in the Senate
although the disgrace which it involves
on a generally high class body of men
cannot but be deplOred. 1t is probable
| that the Oregon Senator will exhaust
every resource of the law before he
owes up the fight against the penalty