The Washington herald., 1907-06-21

The Taft Presidential boom. tested and
found wanting. now appears to be on
tine verge Of collapse
This is the opinion Of weIl-informed
Republicans who keep in close touch with
political conditions throughout the coun-
try. Il has been a handicapped boom
from its launching. The Presidents open
espousol of it did It no good. Interneeine
strife In Ohio. unnecessarily precipitated
by the administrations onslaught upon
Foraker, crippled # the more, and, after
two months Of vicissitudes. the boom ap-
parently has the active support only Of
the Secretary's brother and his Cincinnati
newspaper.
TAFT IS well liked the country over. He
has personal popularity. The people hold
him in high esteem. But his boom. sprung
inopportuaeiy and by tactless methods.
failed 10 secure enough headway to keep
it going. The family row in Ohio was
sufficient in itself 70 raise general doubt
as to Taft's availability.
4 Reluctant Candidacy.
The Secretary never took his boom with
entire seriousness. Originally treating it
as joke. he wcaried Of it before it was
Ia fortnight old. His own handling of it
was unskuful His present trip 10 the
far West hurt the boom rather than
helped it. IN Wisconsin. for instance. ne
euioEizrd Spo0ner without so much as
mentioning la Toilette yet the masses OF
Republicans OF Wisconsin are admittedly
with Ia Toilette In South Dakota. like
wise. be aligned himself with senator
kittredge and sntagonized the other fac
tons. And so st has gone generally. As
a campaigner ne has shown himself a
novice. No section of the country has
developed any particular enthusiasm for
his candidacy. save. perhaps New Eng
land, where IL has strength in spots on
account of his pronounced belief in the
wisdom of tariff revision. Even the ken
lucky Republicans. though committed 20
the administration policies. kept hands
OF the Taft BOOM
The administration friendly attitude
toward the Knox candidacy. It IS said.
was due largely 10 waning faith in the
Taft movement and tile opinion is now
growing that with the departure IF the
War Secretary upon his visitation to the
Philippines his boom viii gradually fade
away. and finally DE viii become a justice
of the United States Supreme Court.
Knox and Hughes.
The Knox boom is temporarily pro1is-
ing. That il has clements of decided
strength, as well as elements OF decided
weakness. is universally admitted The
Pennsylvauians close ana credltdIls
Identification with the administration Of
both Mckinley and Roosevelt is the chief
factor in his favor. His relation TO pow
erful interests as a corporation lawyer is
the chief factor against his candidacy.
Though DE doubtless shared the views
last expressed by Mckinley with refer
ence 10 reciprocity and the tariff. he
would uuQuestionably stand as the rep
reseutat.ve of the ultra high protection
element Of his party; and herein is a FUR
ther weakness. New York. it is said. for
purely selfish reasons. will oppose any
movement 90 nominate a Pennsylvania
for President
GOV. Hughes continues 70 attract attsl-
tion, If lot actually 10 loom NO on the
Presidential horizon. and ne may yet be-
come q formidable quantity in national
Republican politics. but the politicians
do not believe his time will come before
1912, If then.
Fairbanks and Indiana.
The Fairbanks candidacy has not suf-
fered by developments OF the past month.
a native of Ohio, he probably stands a
better chance 10 secure the support Of
that State than any other candidate,
with Taft out of the way He is on
good terms with both Taft and Foraker.
In Indiana, whose delegate vote R0osa-
Welt may have for the asking. in case be
consents 10 run again, there is sons
sentiment i'm favor of Uncle Joe" Can
non as second choice after Fairbanks.
Hemenway, Watson. and other members
of the Indiana delegation are Can
mons devoted personal friends But if
Fairbanks cannot be nominated for Pres
ideut. local conditions are bound 10
prompt their advocacy of the old ticket
again-Roosevplt and Fairbanks The
Vice President is too young and too
strongly intrenched TO go on the retired
list at the completion Of his present term,
and if not put on the national ticket, it
is regarded as a foregone conclusion that
he would seek to return 70 the Senate,
which would mean the displacement Of
Hemenway or Beverage Such a de-
nouement is not anticipated with relish
by Republicans of Hoosicrdom.
Little Fear of Third Term Cry.
DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler and other
Of the Presidents close personal friends
to the contrary notwithstanding. good
politicians in Washington believe that. in
the end. Elr. Roosevelt viii yield and ac-
cept a denomination. The third-term
5ugaboo is cutting less figure in all cal
culations than ever before. The West
is for Roosevelt. So too, is the South,
while New York, in the face OF Wall
street opposition, prefers him to any
Dther man. Hughes not excepted Al
though not a candidate. few who know
him think for a moment that he would
refuse to yield 20 the peoples demand
And once he yields the denomination Of
the old ticket will be the perfectly logi-
,al outcome. Such at any rate. is the
opinion of well-informed Republicans in
Washington.
Why Not Draw Interest