The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-04-18
ROOSEVELT MAY
SUPPORT HUGHES
FOR PRESIDENCY
New York's Governor Now
Looms as a Possible
Candidate
ALL DEPENDS ON TAFT
IF War Secretary Fails in
Ohio Fight He Will Be
Eliminated
POSSIBLY CORTELYOU
Plans Being Laid to Swing
Colored Vote of South
to Administration
POSSIBLY CORTELYOU
BY Ira z. Bennett

WASh1NGlON, April H.
Not only is President Roosevelt
giving Hughes of New York all
the help possible in his contest
with the legislature, in which Ger
tain reform legislation is sought,
but he is looking forward to the
New York governor as a possible
republican nominee next year.
More than that, he may go so far
as to give Hughes assistance, under
certain conditions. to obtain the nomi-
nation.
Should Secretary Taft fail to make
headway in his Ohio campaign and
Governor Hughes succeed to a consid-
cradle extent in getting what he wants
from the legislature, the president
would consider Hughes a big factor
in affairs and worthy of support of the
strongest kind.
TAFT HAS HARD FIGHT
Although the president would be
greatly pleased to see Big Bill" Taft
come out with flying colors in Ohio and
acquire delegations from other states,
with which to go before the republican
national convention next year. he is not
unmindful Of the fact that Taft has
q tremendous fight on his hands and
may lose, which would remove him
from the presidential field, unless the
president himself should control enough
votes in the convention to nominate
the secretary Of war.
But II is considered certain that he
would not press his friend should Ohio
defeat Taft in a race for delegates.
and he would turn to some other man
who would continue the policies he has
pushed for a number OF years Under
contingencies Of this kind he has in
mind two New York men who might
I'll the requirements he has set for his
successor. Hughes is one Of these and
Secretary Cortelyou is the other. If
Hughes wins with the legislature and
Taft loses in Ohio. Hughes may fall
heir to the support Of the president.
CHANCES OF CoRTELYoU
On the other hand. Cortelyou may
be the lucky man. and it is now re-
Earded as almost certain that Cortelyou
will compete for the New York dele
cations with Hughes should the latter
become weighty enough to be presi-
Dental possibility.
Neither man would have the backing
Of what is at present known as the
organization men of the state. White
house people frankly admit that the
president has more than one string to
his fiddle. Right now Big Bill" Taft
is the bass string, and the president is
playing that for ali it is worth. Should
the string break there are others"
There are strong indications that the
president does not propose to let Sena-
tor Foraker have the negro vote of the
country without a struggle to secure
il for himself or men friendly to him.
He had a conference today with ". T.
Vernon. the coIored register Of the
treasury, and Bishops Grant and Gaines
Of the A. NJ z. church. the former To-
Gated in the west and the latter in
Georgia Both Of the colored bishops
are men Of influence, politically and
otherwise, and are said to be willing
70 undertake the task OF diverting the
negro vote back to the administration
IMPORTANCE OF NEGRO VOTE
So far as the president is concerned
he will place the campaign for negro
support in the hands of W. T. Vernon,
one of the eloquent speakers of his race
snd an astute politician.
The vote of the southern states in
the next national campaign promises
10 play a greater part in affairs than
heretofore supposed, and the president
has come TO the conclusion that it
would be better not to let this vote go
against the administration if it can be
helped.
CHAMBERLAIN RECOVERING