The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-05-24
ALL THIRD TERM
TALK IS ABSURD
tMan spec,si to the Adverti.er.)

the public interest in politics to sui
side Of late, although he has bee
working more than ever under cover
carrying out his plans to commit th
Republican party to the continuatio
of his reform policies. In private h
has been dealing an occasional blot
to the third term talk, which he re-
Gently characterized as "absolute nor
sense While he was no more EN-
phatic on the subject than he has bee
heretofore, he has convinced the doubt
full among his friends that he will no
be President after March 4, 1909. a
the same time he has stated that b.
can not publicly reiterate his state
ment of election night in 1904 be
cause if he should do so there woul,
be nothing to prevent politicians iron
bringing pressure upon him to reiter
ate again, as soon as the third tern
talk revived yet once more and thei
his enemies would be saying, "He dotl
protest too much" and claim that h,
really wanted the nomination.
Secretary Taft is keeping in the lime
light and for the present is the most
prominent of all the presidential
aspirants. He will begin his politica
speaking soon in the southwest, for he
is now full fedged candidate.
Reports were abroad few days ago
| that the President was going to give
out statement about third term and
that it would be "sockdolager.
These reports were based on a con
versation the President had, in which
he explained that when the proper time
came, if the third term talk was still
persisted in, he would say something
which would settle the matter for good
and all. But strange as the state
ment may seem at first thought, the
President is rather pleased just now
at the burst of third term talk. He
has intimated as much to. certain of
his visitors within week. In short
he is willing to be the favorite son
of the United States for while, be-
cause it enables him to hold his political
forces together and prevents them from
scattering to the support of other can
didates, some of whom the President
might not like to o. X.
So while the opposition to him is
putting forth favorite sons in several
States, to hold their strength together
in those States and in the hope of Sc
curing delegates who can be transferr-
ed to some other candidate at the pro-
per time, whom these opposition in
terests will approve, the President is
playing the favorite son racket to head
the opposition Republicans off. And
he seems to be playing that sort of
game with some success.
1t should not be concluded that the
President is at all deceived by the
flood of third term babbling. He knows
that much of it is sincere. He also
knows that many Senators and Repre-
sentatives are declaring for his re-
who do not want him re-
nominated at all, but who think that
such declarations will help them very
much at home. There are several Unit
ed States Senators in this category.
They are coming up for reelection next
year and few of them will have
hard struggle to secure a majority of
their legislatures. So they come out
strong for Roosevelt, hoping to gain
the support of Roosevelt followers.
Thus they may be able to help them
selves and incidentally they help the
President for the time being, because
hey keep up the third term enthu-
iiasm and enable the President to play
his role as the favorite son of the
United States.
There are very many members of
he National House who are playing |
he same kind of politics as the SEN
ltors are playing. Their districts are
lose or, it may be, these members
ire hard pressed by other aspirants.
The members know that President |
Roosevelt is exceedingly popular with
heir constituents. Hardly week goes
BY but what half dozen such mem
Ders come down to Washington and
give out interviews about their strong
conviction that only Roosevelt will do
ior the next nomination.
Patronage figures considerably also
lmong what might be called these in
sincere declarations for Roosevelt. The
President does not hesitate to take
patronage away from Republican Con
sressmen who do not agree with him.
IN every district represented by Re-
publican, outside of some of the large |
'ity districts, there are many postoiiiees
md the commissions of some of them |
from a horseback ride, the President
'ften stops at the Lodge residence for
! short visit,
The Presidents athletic propensi,