The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-11
Especial to The Messenger. }

Washington, Janury J.-"Theodore
Roosevelt will never be able to die
tate to the next national republican
convention its choice of a presidential
candidate. This declaration was
made by prominent republican SEN
ator, of great influence in the senate
and high in the councils of his party.
AS the days go by there becomes
more manifest determination TO
wrest control of the party from the
hands Of the president and his SYM
pathizers and to vest it in that republi-
can fraction which has come to be
known as antiRoOSevelt. Without any
election on his part, perhaps, Senator
Foraker has become the central figure
in the anti-ROOSevelt campaign, and
his strength as a presidential posi-
bility is making substantial progress,
The prediction is made in shrewd pO-
litical circles that when the national
convention meets the race will be be-
tween Foraker and whatever candidate
is favored by the president.
'The president" said the senator
quoted above, "has made a mistake
in Understanding Senator Foraker's
staying qualities and his capacity as a
fighter. He will make the discovery
ere long that the Buckeye senator is
about the hardest proposition he has
ever stacked up against. There is
nothing Of the gutter in FOraker-s
makeup. He is perhaps the most re-
sourceful man in the senate, and now
that he has been thoroughly aroused
by Roosevelt, he is certain to give a
good account of himself.
THE president is losing strength
every day, for the reason that each
day brings him "a hours nearer to the
time when he will quit the White
House and be shorn of power. The loss
may be almost imperciptible just now,
like the lengthening Of the day since
the sun crossed the imaginary line on
the 21st Of December last, but soon
it will be apparent to the man on the
street.
Zone effect Of the present situation, 4"
the senator continued, "is that il is
rallying all the elements hostile O
Roosevelt around the standard Of
Ohio's senior senator This in itself
Is bound to make him a presidential
factor that will have to be reckOned
with in the national convention next
year. The man who goes into the
| neXt presidential national convention
| baC<ed by the elements antagonistic
| to president Roosevelt will in ny
jud1 1ment, come pretty near to captur-
| ings the nomination.
"Will that man be Foraker? II GER
| tainly looks that way now. OF one
| thing I am morally certain, and that
| is, thatthe president will not be able to
| dictate who shall be the nominee OF
the republican national convention Of
/ 1898"
! Positive announcement, from what
| has every appearance of being an au.
| thoritative source is made TO the
effect that Secretary of War Taft viii
| shortly ascend the supreme couri
| bench az the successor Of Chief Jus.
| tice Fuller. If this be true. IL VIII
leave the presidential field Withou'
| any candidate recognized as distinctly
| Rooseveltian The most promising
| possibility is Charles Z. HugheS' gov
| ernor of New York II he markedly
| makes good" during the next L
months. a good many politicians be
| lieye he will be the Roosevelt candi-
date. It is admitted that Gov. Hughes
| has none Of the elements of persona
magnetism so strong in the present oc
| cupant of the White House, but IL h'
is safe and sane" and yet vigorous IL
the prosecution of evil, he undoubted
| " will make a strong appeal 70 th'
| country.
The announcement by Postmastei
General Cortelyou that he would re
tire at once as chairman of the repub
lican national committee. and that Col
Harry" New, the vice chairman
would succeed him as acting chairman
until such time as the committee
might make a selection, came a!
somewhat Of surprise TO the politf
clans. AS stated in this correspond