The Washington times., 1906-03-12
TAFT RETIREME
EXCITES OFFICIALS
Shake Up in Presidents
Official Family Expected.
IN PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Prospective Nominees Are Already Lay
ing Their Lines for the RePub-
hcan Nomination.

With Justice Henry s. Brown about
10 retire and Secretary Taft regarded
by many as his probable successor, and
with revival of the talk of the retire
ment from the Cabinet OF Secretaries
shaw and Hitchcock and Attorney Gen
eral Moody, Washington is looking TO
most important shifting about OF fig
ures on the official stage in the course
of another year The first year Of Presi-
dent Roosevelts second term saw COM
paratively little change in Cabinet cir
cles The second year seems likely to
witness much more important changes.
II these prospective changes affected
the Cabinet alone or the Cabinet and
the Supreme Court alone, they would be
OF sufficient Importance. But they reach
much further than these institutions.
and politicians discern clearly enough
that they have an important bearing on
large national politics. especially on the
PRESIDENTIAL campaign, which Is but two
years distant.
Presidential Candidates.
With none is the question Of Secretary
Tafts course of more importance than
with the gentlemen who are aspiring for
the Presidency to succeed Mr.. Rooss cit =
Should Mr.. Taft go to the Supreme
Bench. the field Of Republican Presiden-
tial possibilities would be sppreciably
narrowed down, 1t is pretty generally
accepted here that Senator Foraker is
out OF Il as q 1905 possibility Should
Taft succeed Justice Brown. there would
be left as the large figures in the Presi-
Dental race Root. Shaw. and Fairbanks.
or course. there are other possibilities,
such as Knox. COrtelyou, Cannon. and
La Toilette. but the fact remains that
the first three mentioned are the ones
given most serious consideration in
Washington
IL Mr.. Taft does not go TO the su-
preme Court many believe that de-
spite his statement that he is not
candidate, he will have powerful sup
port for the nomination. Regardless
Of the fact Congress has turned down
his Philippine tariff policy. he is by
long odds the most popular man in the
Cabinet with the members Of both
houses today.
Secretary Shaw will leave the Cabinet
IN about a year. He will then devote
al his energies to his Presidential cam
paigu. Who Will be his successor IS a
matter for conjecture. Many names
have been suggested in this connection.
Mr.. Shaw. however, is not going TO
wait for his Cabinet time to end before
getting into the Presidential fight earn
estly and thoroughly. lie is already
in j.. and he is planning a great tour
OF the country this summer, when he
hopes to parallel the effective swing
around the circle taken bv Mckinley
some months before the contest for the
1885, nomination became acute
Secretary Shaw and his friends would
ne greatly pleased to see Taft on the
Supreme Bench. They unQueStiOnably
regard him as a dangerous factor, who
is likely to draw powerful Western
support IL he is not put out Of the
Presidential field absolutely by taking
\ position that will preclude his eleva-
tion 10 the White House
Also Pleases Fairbanks.
Vice President Fairbanks and his ad-
herents look on the situation I'm the
same light. and will be quite as well
pleased as the Shaw following II Taft
gets out Of the way for good and all
How active the Fairbanks movement
is becoming is best understood by the
urgent efforts made. and made success
fully, TO get Hoggatt OF Indiana made
governor Of Alaska. It IS not seriously
doubted here that in return Hoggatt is
expected to deliver the Alaskan deIega-
tion to the next Republican national
convention to Fairbanks.
Just when Hitchcock viii go IS unCer-
main many months. Commissioner War
neT, or the Pension Office, is already
talked of to succeed him. Marion But
ler. ex-senator from South Carolina is
understood to want the job.
Bonaparte in MoOdy's Place.
Attorney General MoOdy's retirement
in the course OF about a year Is also
onca more preached. 1t is practically
settled that as things stand now, Secre-
tary Bonaparte will go 10 the Depart
ment OF Justice and that George Y. /.
Meyer. of Massachusetts,. now ambassa-
dor TO Russia. win become head of the
Navy Department Bonaparte has al
ready displayed energy and efficiency,
coupled with Independence in the man
agement OF the Navy Department, and
in case he goes TO Moody's place, may
be expected to assume a. vigorous role
in the antitrust prosecutions on which
President Roosevelt is intent.
1t is everywhere recognized that the
proper filling OF TRft's place IN Govern
meut affairs IS a difficult one. The man
first suggested for the Job, Judge
Charles Il MagoOn, is the man who by
experience seems best fitted for the Do
sition At any rate, MagoOn has the
fun confidence of the Administration.
and this would be the chief element in
determining who should carry out the
Governments insular and canal policies.
TELEPHONES ARE BARRED