Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-03
WlsEAcREs IN WASHINGTON
THINK IoWAN. HAS CHANCE
FOR PRESIDENCY.
ROOT WILL RUN STRONG
New Secretary Of State Has Given Up
a Place at the Front Of the New
York Bar Fora Position II the Cab
lnet-other Presidential Possibilities
Especial Correspondence)

washington Bureau of the Courier,
Washington. D. c., Aug. 2.
Secretary Shaw is back in Washing
ton from a swing around the circle in
the middle west. It Is manifest that
Mr.. Shaw has heard good deal about
his own availability as q presidential
candidate in 1908. There are a great
many Shaw men in all parts of the
country. That is the reason why all the
political wiseacres count the genial
secretary of the treasury into their cal
culations when they begin to prognos-
ticate. From now on Mr.. Shaw will
make speeches before commercial and
Industrial bodies in various parts of
the United States. His months as a
cabinet official are numbered. Mr.
Shaw has indicated his intention Of
leaving official life by February / next
If not earlier. His own interests are
therefore, a most important considera-
tion Just now.
Elihu Roots. candidacy for the presi-
dency four years hence was as good as
announced the day he decided to sue
ceed John Hay as secretary of state
Mr.. Root during the lastsyear. has been
making money at the rate Sof about
$4,000 day, He appeared indisposed
| to sacrifice his enviable position as
the leading lawyer Of New York City,
where all the rich men and their var
ious, corporations were after him to
help them out of trouble or to assist
their various business deals. But
President Roosevelt took Mr.. Root to
Cleveland to attend the funeral
of Mr.. Hay and all the way
there and back poured into
Mr.. Roots ear reasons II Hy he should
become the premier ofSsrfe cabinet
Great publicity was given when Mr.
Root accepted the portfolio with its
paltry $4,000 year, to the statement
once made by the President that he
considered Mr.. Root the greatest man
in public life in this or any other coun
try
Then came the intimation from a
source which seemed to reflect the
sentiment of the chief executive. This
was that the President in order to get
Mr. Root back into the cabinet had
made an effort he would hardly have
made for anyone else. This was quick
ly construed to mean that the Presi
dent intended to help Mr.. Root to be
come the republican candidate in 1908
Root Replaces Taft.
All this caused no end of stir
Everybody began to wonder what Sec
retary Taft would think. The big sec
retary of war had been much pam
pered by the President ever since he
succeeded Mr.. Root as head of the
war Office When the President left
Washington for his western trip he
said he had left Taft sitting on the
i lid. 1t was clearly shown that the
President left Mr.. Taft in the post o1
acting president That had been sig
nificant political straw at the, time
The wise men who spend their time
writing the name of the next Presiden
said that it meant that Mr. Taft woulc
have the Presidents assistance in be
coming president. Then all of a sud
den the President began to press Mr.
Root to came back into the cabine
and be his favorite instead of Mr.. Taft
Mr.. Root has the advantage of being
from New York. That Is always {
consideration. If he is nominated ht
will have the backing of Wall street
The votes will show whether that is /,
consideration. Under these condition.
Mr.. Root will have all the money HI
needs for his compaign.
Shaw Maintains Silence.
All this time Secretary Shaw is say
ing never word His candidacy is no
announced. No wheedling or bluffin,