The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-15
THE COMING CONFLICT.


THE COMING CONFLICT.
The next big political battle to be
fought in this country is over the
Republican presidential nomination
for 1908, and already the lines are
drawing up for the conflict. Next
spring at this time the state conven-
tions will begin and the instructions of
delegates will commence. Much of the
fighting. however, will be done before
that time. 1t is already in progress.
1t is very natural that the interests
should be determined not to have an
other president like Theodore Roose-
Welt. They will put forth every effort
to elect a man who is safe" and con
servative;" a man who will be in IA
vor of protecting the business inter-
ests''-one who will take advice from
such men as Mr.. Hartman and Sena-
tor Aldrich and act accordingly.
To that end the politicians who are
in the pay of 1.-The interests are al
ready at work. They are laying their
plans to get control of the party ma
chinery in every state in the Union,
so as to control the Republican nation
al convention. They already have four
and possibly five presidential candi-
dates in the field. The doubtful one is
Leslie M. Shaw, who was a full
f1edged candidate a few months ago,
but who has been crowded almost off
the map in Iowa, and who has recently
become the head of large trust COM
pany in New FORK. 1t is understood.
however, that ex-Secretary Shaw will
still make a bid for the Iowa delega-
ton in case there is any show for him
to get it.
Counting in ex-Secretary Shaw, 1.-The
interests" thus far have these Dresi-
Dental candidates.: Senator Knox of
Pennsylvania, Senator Foraker of Ohio,
Vice President Fairbanks of Indiana,
Speaker Cannon of Illinois, and ex-Sec-
rotary Shaw of Iowa. These consti-
tute line of the most important states
directly through the center of the ma
tion-and the entries are not yet closed
In Ohio they may have a contest to
carry the state for Foraker and
against Secretary Taft. Tt goes with
out saying that they will spend unlimit-
ed sums to defeat Taft in his own
state and thereby keep him out of the
presidential race, but it is barely posi-
BILE that money Will not beat Taft.
Foraker and his friends are in control
of the Republican machinery in Ohio.
but Foraker is not overly popular with
the people.
This may be largely a politicians
battle, however, and for that reason 1t
is not at all improbable that 1.-The in
terests" may win. The rank and file
among the people will have little to
say. about the result unless they take
matters into their own hands, and it
is usually difficult to get tt.em to dc
that.
With this formidable array of cAndi-
dates it can be seen that the inter-
ests" can capture a good many dele
cations. Then when the national con-
vention meets they can eliminate those
candidates whom they do not want, one
by one, and unite the strength of all
on a single candidate.
The candidate opposed to "the intor- |
ests' will be some such man As Score |
tary Taft, Senator LaFollette. or Gov
ernor Hughes of New York-provided |
President Roosevelt cannot be brought |
to run again.
The doubtful element in the Contest |
is President Roosevelt. He insists that |
he will not be a candidate again, but |
in spite of that, the people are hoping |
that he may be led 20 accept anorher |
What do the Republicans of Kansas |
propose to do about it? There is no |
doubt that the wires have already been |
laid to deliver the Kansas delegation |
to the corporations. If it cannot be |
done by instructing directly for one of
the candidates of 1.-The interests the |
game will probably be to put up a |
that is for Roosevelt ''os-
tensibly," as Andy Richards would |
say, but one that can be delivered to |
whomever the corporations desire when |
the time comes. That is the politicians /
way of playing the game.
1t is time for the people of Kansas !
to begin to think about this matter. |
With a candidate of the corporations |
as its national standard bearer and |
with the record of the late state senate |
to defend, the Republican party would |
have a hard row to hoe in Kansas next |
year. What does the rank and file |
propose to do about it?