Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-14
PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS
Political Lightning Rods in ver.
mont and Elsewhere.
How the Recent Trip Of vice-President
Fairbanks to Vermont 1mpresses
People at the National
Capitol.

The Washington Post, which IL q keen
observer OF political events, prints the
following:
Vermont Ia having quite as much ex.
citement during the heated scene a. IL
New Hampshire. IL Ia the peace CONFER
encc. OF course. In New Hampshire; 1t is
presidential politics In Vermont. Ever
since Senator Proctor hxed the eyes of
the country upon Vermont in 1876 by turn.
ing a trick for Mckinley right at a criti.
cal moment, the state has loved prom
inence in president making. With Score
tary Shaw, a native, and Vice-president
Fairbanks, sprung from ancestors that
were vermontcrs. the republican leaders
are full OF indecislon. Hence the recent
Vermont interests.
In going up and down the State within
the last two weeks Vice-President Fair.
banks is supposed to have had an eye
out for the main chance. He has FREE
qucntly spoken in Vermont. and IL widely
liked throughout the Vermont valleys and
mountains. Representative Foster, sup
posed to be chcrishing senatorial ambi-
lions for one OF these days. and now
recognized as n political factor in the
State, accompanied the ce-president
and afforded him an opportunity to meet
ut leisure many local politicians. The
vice-presidcnt travcrscd the same ground
that Secretary shaw has often traversed,
and met many men supposed to be Secre-
tary Shaw's political friends. Now the
burning question is whether MIR. Fair
banks is gaining a firm grip on Vermont
as Mr.. Shaw has been gaining on Vir-
ginia.
| II may happen that Mr.. Shaw will take
a look around Vermont soon and ascer.
tain for himself. He dropped into Green's.
| borO. ~ c., to make one Of his winning
speeches not a long time after Mr.. Fair
banks had been there. This was bcne-
| fetal to him, although the North Caro-
| lima republicans. an unfccling crowd, are
disposed to wait and see who is n likely
| winner before committing themselves in
a preliminary way, as a few States are
| disposed to do. Eut Mr.. Shaw made his
impression upon tho Tarhcels and has by
| far the best of the early advances in
Virginia.
The attitude OF one or two Southern
| States may prove decidedly advantageous
for a candidate. and an opening wedge in
Now England is not to be despised. Mr..
Shaw has made his summer home on the
New England coast for two or three
years. a point that will not be over
|
proud to have cabinet officials in their
midst.
LONG DISTANCE WORK.
| There has been another forward move
! or two in this long-distancc campaigning
| for the White House in 1905. Secretaries
Root and Taft seem to remain in statu
quo, both now being ont OF the country.
But Senator Foraker has gained bit In
Ohio by his new alliance with Governor
Hcrrick. said in reality TO have sore need
OF the senator's persuasive oratory Il
overcome the angry republican opposition
Mr.. Foraker has his troubles as presi
| dental asprant in his own state, as has
Secretary Shaw in Iowa. Should both
| men continue in the race 4 year or two
that feature of the pSoblem will probably
| be eliminated in the main. 1t will be-
come apparent whether Ohio goes fol
Foraker and whether Iowa goes for Shaw
Wise Ohioans already predict that If IL
becomes necessary for Senator Forakc,
to have his State to be nominated, hc
| will surely get the State. and that th'
better understanding with Governor Her
rick is fresh proof OF it. His relations
with Senator Dick are now far more
amicable than were his relations with tn,
late Senator Hanna The two have {
very good working agreement. by which
they are disposing of patronage and othel
political problems handily
These four-Fairhanks. Shaw, Taft. anC
Root-hgure now as the major candidate.
in popular estimation. There are als'
those who might he tsrmyi minor cand
4 dates. With the turn N the politica
wheel. no one can tell but what tho
'I,cI tiIn inn orfn 10 chg
crnor Cummins of Iowa is ambitious
In pressing his reciprocity arguments ant
in pleading for the election of member
of the House who will need the people
Cummins cannot but be thinking Incl
dcntally OF the presidential advantag
which might accrue to him. Neither h,
nor Governor La Toilette, senat elect
has been quiesccnt II the radical senti
/, mcnt dominates in republican politics
the things these two have been dOini
this summer Will help out any effort
later to win delegates.
With the coming of Congress there viii
be in the Senate two aspirants for tn
northumberland and La Follettc-and
, after Secretary Shaw retires in Febru
AIRY, there will bc like number in TIL
, cabinet, provided one may count Roo
and TAFT both as aspirants. without tax
ing Postmaster General Cortelyou a
presidential timber. He has been the sub
jcct of little. If any, presidential com
ment. although there has been wonder
ment as to whether he Is not holding
the national workmanship to give hi
. boom n good start or, if that should b
impossible. to give some favoritc a lift.
s CONGRESSIONAL POSSIBILITIES.
= Other presidential lightning rods ma
go up from congressional ranks espo
cially in the House. The republican lead
ership there, excepting Speaker Cannon
:, Is unde termined. Were it not for Spcake
Cannons age. he would be Il formidabl
presidential factor, especially with III
nois eager to groom a presidential nom
inee. The man he dcsignates for chair
man OF appropriations will be hailed a
n floor leader. II may be far fetched I
: bring such n one into tho PRESIDENT;
running, hut it is no secret that Repre-
sentative Tawnoy. prominently mentionc