The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-08-16

later Senator Foraker may take UP tn:
cudgels for the nomination of Governor
Hughes OF New York. Just now Gov
ernor Hughes candidacy seems to be
more popular in the West than that O.
any other aspirant. unless II be Secre
tary Taft. The Knox boom at the start
has not seemed very attractive L
Westerners. The newspapers in thai
section have been pummeling him as 8
corporation lawyer and as not likely te
/ be q strong vote getter for that rea-
son. 1t is recognized that he is prob
ably the ablest of all the Republicans
who have been mentioned for the Pres
| idency. He is conceded to be of Presi-
Dental size. But in enthusiastic Roose-
Welt communities the fact that he has
served in President Roosevelts cabine,
and was the ablest attorney general to
hold that cabinet portfolio in many
years does not outweigh an impression
| that the President is not heartily for
him. The Western people know tha,
Mr.. Knox is identified with the COM
bination that is resisting the dictation
of the nominee by Mr.. Roosevelt. And
while the dictation from the White
House OF a nominee for the Presidency
would be unpopular in normal times.
Mr.. Roosevelt has aroused such tre-
mendous popular enthusiasm that the
people are apparently willing TO stand
for anything from him 1t will be re-
membered that the late President Nc
Kinley was very popular, but he could
not even name his running mate in
1900. If he could have. John D. Long
of Massachusetts. then Secretary of
the Navy, and now engaged in the
practise OF law at Boston, would have
become President after the terrible
tragedy at Buffalo and probably would
have been in the White House today.
NAMES ILL LUCK.
In that connection it may be worth
while TO digress to the i'll luck that
Maine men have in attaining the Pres
idency. John D. Long. although many
years resident of Massachusetts,, Is
a Maine man-an Oxford county bear.
as the local term is-and spends his
summers at his old home In Buckfield,
Maine. How Blaine lost the Presi-
dency in 1884 by a handful of votes in
New York State has not yet been for,
gotten. Hannibal Hamlin, another
Maine man, lost the Presidency simply
because of whim of the National
Republican Convention of 1864. He had
served acceptably during Lincoln's first
term and il was expected that he
would be renominated as Vice Presi-
dent. But a movement was started in
the convention TO select someone from
the South and Johnson was taken. If
would have had another term of four
years and after the assassination of
Lincoln would have become President
Had that been the case, probably a
good deal of the history of the United
States during the years Immediately
following the Civil War would have
been far different.
WHAT FORAKER MAY DO.
AS already stated, Governor Hughes
is growing in strength in the West, |
and it is believed that Senator For
aker will eventually champion his nom |
ination. The Ohio Senator is strong
man in National conventions. He has |
been attending conventions for twenty |
years and more and promises TO be one |
IF the leading figures in the next con- |
vention. Probably he will go as a del |
egate at large from Ohio unless the |
Taft forces succeed in freezing him out. |
but in that event he would probably
be made a delegate from one of the
Cincinnati Congressional districts or
some admirer from Congressional dis
trict elsewhere in the country would |
give him a proxy. He will have no
in being delegate and ex-
,rcising a delegates prerogatives if he
20 desires.
If Governor Hughes proves to be the
strongest candidate against Secretary
itor Foraker jumped into the arena for
he New Yorker and threw all i,e
strength for him that he possibly could
He may do that for Senator Knox.
provided Senator Knox grows formid-
lble. And there will be numerous in
luential men cooperating with Senator
Foraker, for there is a strong eoterie
# Republican politicians who will stop
It almost nothing to prevent the Pres
dent from debating the name Of his
successor. They urge that the Repub-
lean party and not its President
hould have the say about national
nominations. President Roosevelt has
.bsolutely dominated the House of
for the last six years;
lie has had his way to large extent
With the Senate, although that body
las stoutly resisted executive en-
Now Senators are in the
ront rank of those who want to pre-
'ent Presidential encroachments upon
he nominating conventions of thei
,arty. 1t is claimed that it would be
very bad precedent to establish. 1t
vas never done but once and that was
more than fifty years ago.
HAS TAFT INSIDE TRACK?
When all the conditions are consider
d. however, it looks in Washington as
hough Secretary Taft at present has
he inside track. His strength is the
ack of other available candidates
There seems to be no disposition to
axe Speaker Cannon seriously because
f his age. In these strenuous days OF
-oung men, candidate past 20 years
Id would be handicap to his party
l would be hard to convince the vot-
RS that Uncle Joe" is as vigorous
mentally and physically as he really is.
n the last Presidential campaign the /