The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-07-13
WOMEN in POLITICS.
They Play a Far Greatr Part in the
Affairs of the Nation Than Is
Generally Supposed.


Washington, July 12-That Elihu
Root will be the administration candi-
date for president in 1908 is as COM
monty accepted now, following his Sc
lection for secretary of state, as was
the theory, a week ago., that Taft
would be the Rooseveftsehoice. 1t has
come with shock to the politicians
and ~forecasters, but after all 1t is SO
characteristic of the things that hap.
pen under the Roosevelt administra-
ton that it need not have surprised
people SO greatly. 1t is assumed that
Root will u for president, and thai
Taft will in due time become chief Jus.
tice Of the supreme court.
The women of Washington have dis.
covered Q reason that they think re
moves all question about Roots presi-
Dental candidacy. They happen to
know that Mrs. Root and her daughter
don't like Washington at all. They left
the city with much satisfaction, after
an uncomfortable period of residence
and cabinet social duties here. They
would not willingly have returned, the
women declare, unless they had seen
ahead the possibility of a period of res
idence in the White House. 1t so hap
pens that the White House, while not
intrinsically by any means an ideal
residence. has attractions that few
Americans would be able to resist.
Even the Washington summer climate
would be accepted by most people il
they could spend it in the White House.
And so, declares society, Mrs. Root is
coming back to Washington, not be-
cause she likes Washington, which
everybody knows she doesn't, but be-
cause she would like to be the first
lady and live in the White House.
Women Play Important Part.
Women, by the way, play a far
greater part in affairs than is supposed
away from Washington. This town is
never tired of worrying it's head over
the goings and comings of Miss Alice
Roosevelt-Princess Alice, she is always
called. Miss Alice is a lively young
woman who frankly enjoys her situa-
ton as the first young woman Of the
lsnd. She has plenty of attention and
many admirers, and the problem Of
whether she will come back from her
Philippine trip engaged to young Mr.,
Longworth, congressman from Gin
clnnati, is almost bothering people to
death. They are so awfully anxious
that Miss Alice should furnish a
White House wedding. And maybe she
will.
Mrs. Wallace. wife of the deposed
Panama chief engineer, is another lady
to whom is credited an extremely i'm
portant Influence in some recent do
ings. She didn't like life on the 18TH
mus, and wanted her husband to leave.
1t is known that he seriously contem-
plated quitting before he received the
$4,000 offer which is commonly sup
posed to have tolled him away from
the canal, and that Mrs. Wallace's pro-
tests against the horrors of isthmian
life had much to do with his wish to
retire.
Friendships Embarrassments.
The most talked about woman
Washington has known in a good many
years, however, has closed her career
here. She is Countess Marguerite
CaSsini, niece of the late Russian am
bassador. Countess Marguerite is
young. extremely handsome, %dashing,
worldly-Wise, cosmopolitan to the tips
of her fingers, and a diplomat of such
skill that h kept everybody guessing
during all the years she lived here at
the Russian embassy. she was a par
although there was no possible reason
why the young women should not have
been as good friends as they chose, the
intimacy caused, according to reports
more or less embarrassment at times
to the presidential papa of Miss Alice
This was because Of the extreme deli
cacy of diplomatic relations during the
period of the Russo-Japanese war
With America almost unanimously sid
Ing with Japan, and with the govern
ment officially maintaining the most
scrupulous balance between the bel
li%gerents and trying to accomplish the
notable things hat are now a matter
of history in connection with this
strenuous epoch. it was unavoidable
that there should be Wonderment about
the intimacy of these two distinguished
young women AS a matter of fact
the friendship was established long be-
fore a war was thought of, but ever
in thn aN-aS Nf nann1n who 1,,,o,,- +l,o,
it took on a new interest when the var
was on. The young women, recognize
ing the necessity of circumspection,
restricted their intimacy a good deal
it is said. in order that there should
not be cause for criticism.