Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-08-30

Again Have to BE Decided-Presi-
dent Working to Control
ton Republican fractional Fights
Lend Comfort to Democrats.
It is rather early to talk about the
nomination of u president, which will
not take place until nearly two years
hence, for many things may happen
in that time. The good political gen
eral, howevt;, keeps his eye on the flu
ture and prepares to upset the PLAN:
Of his opponents, and a glance at the
probable Republican nominee is OF
Importance to Democrats everywhere.
There are at least nine receptive Re
publican candidates for the presiden.
tial nomination-namely, Taft, Fair
banks, Cannon, Root, Foraker, Cum.
minis, La Toilette, Knox and Spooner.
Shaw was a candidate, but by this
time must see that the denomination
Of Cummins for governor of Iowa over
the Shaw protest has eliminated him
from the contest.
The repeated official denials that
President Roosevelt will be q candidate
must not be taken too seriously, for,
although good faith with other Repub-
lican candidates will require that the
president keep his word, his notable
ambition to perpetuate his policies will
perhaps urge him to use the administra-
ton forces to that end. 1t is possible,
Of course, that events may force the
Republican national convention to nom.
mate MI. Roosevelt for a third term in
spite Of his protest and he may consent
to run, as he did for vice president in
1900, although he had explicitly pledged
numerous politicians that 'he would
not under any circumstances be a can
didate" for the vice presidency. Gen
eral Grosvenor, who was writing let
tiers on the spot from Philadelphia in
1900 to q New York newspaper, said,
IF he is nominated it will very soon
be understood that the game has been
n in which he himself has participant
ed, either as an organizer or as con-
senting to the performance" And
Grosvenor added, 1T will be said Of
bin either that he Is a dishonest man
or else that he did not want the place."
Mr.. Roosevelt accepted the vice presi-
dental nomination and he may accept
a third term; in fact he may now be
working to that end. In the event that
Mr.. Roosevelt discovers that q third
term would be unpopular he will at
least want to perpetuate his policies.
Under those circumstances the two adj
ministration candidates are Taft and
Root, and as the latter has a record that
will not bear the intense inspection that
always accompanies the c%andidature
for president it would appear that
Taft would then be the candidate
pushed to the front by the administra-
ton. The reformers, La Toilette and
Cummins, are either through jealousy
or from being too strongly opposed to
the railroads not acceptable to Mr..
Roosevelt, judging from the fact that
he has allowed the federal officials to
oppose them.
The other Republican candidates
Fairbanks, Cannon, Foraker, Knox and
Spooner-are not in sympathy with the
presidents policies, and their chances
for the nomination are handicapped by
their we'll known corporation sympa-
thies or either past or present reten-
ton as trust attorneys.
The Republican nomination for presi-
dent, therefore, depends upon which
Of the two groups-the ms or the outs
car control the convention. and a
desperate struggle for supremacy is al
ready inaugurated. The administra-
ton, with its patronage and horde of
officials in every state, has a vast lev
erage to raise the necessary majority,
and that the lever will be openly or
secretly worked by the president is the
general belief of Republican politicians.
The Democrats can watch the Re-
publican fractional fight with interest,
knowing that, however 1t terminates,
there will be sore spots that will work
to their advantage.
III kv d. - 1----- NJ