The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-11-14
IS | a aPuzzIe IN the Ma.
tionaI Race
Governor Of New York Seems to Have
Chance, However; the Cards
: Are Played, and the Leaders q.
Are at Sea.


the: political. Skies. A number of
things will happen about the begin
ming of the new year. Mr.. Roosevelt,
II is confidently thought, will say
whether or not he is to be considered
candidate for a second elective
term. Of course, it follows, as the
night follows; the day, that If Mr..
Roosevelt concluded to run again,
Mr.: Taft Is puffed out Of the situation
like a candle -.
AS for Mr.. Taft and his chance of
nomination, it is becoming pretty
plain that his campaign will have to
be. revivified or his friends will have
to abandon all their hopes of his sue
cess In the republican nomination
convention. 'Dispassionate politicians
are saying that Mr.. Taft's candidacy
Is hampered .by three handicaps.
Secretary Taft's Handicaps.
First and greatest Of these is that
he Is Roosevelt's "favorite SON." The
th1ck-and-thin Roosevelt followers
Will accept no substitute" and the
antf-Roosevelt men will resist any
plan the President may have to name
his successor.
The second handicap is the opposi-
ton OF the Negroes to Mr.. Taft,
brought about through the actions Of
the War Department following the
affray at Brownsville. .".
The third handicap, says the poll
ticians, is the labor union opposition
to Mr.. Taft. =. .-.
The only men whose names are un-
der discussion in connection with the
republican nomtnatio for the Presi-'
dency are. Theodore Roosevelt, VIII
liam H. Taft, Charles e. Hughes,
Joseph g.. Cannon, Charles w jFair-
banks, P. c, Kno1, George B. Cortel-
you and r. M. La Toilette. It seems
IHfairly assured that one OF these men
will oppose whoever is nomtilatad BY
the democrats. ~,
Hughes Is the Puzzle. !.
The battling figure Of Charles e.
Hughes; battling because the politi-
clans can't "place" him. No one
| knows what he wants, and he seems
to prefer to play a lone hand in his
| own way.
Mr.. Roosevelt Is quick to realize
what powerful factor Gov. Hughes
Twas destined to become in New York
State and National politics. Over
lures from the White House imme-
diately after Mr.. Hughes had been
elected Governor were not received
cordially at Albany. The President
got the very clear-cut impression
xrit 81 DhAe
has no liking or desire for place in
the Roosevelt political encourage.
Since that time the President has
never tried to "help" Mr.. Hughes.
Their relations have not been strain
ed or inharmonious; simply there
haven't been any relations.
This aloofness of Mr.. Hughes to-
ward the President filled the anti
Roosevelt element In the republican
party with high hopes. The Governor
was sounded" by them, but without
avail. They, too, came away mar
yelling at his admirable terminal ia
cilities. Meanwhile polls and straw
votes taken In every section Of the
country have shown that widely
scattered sentiment" for Mr.. Hughes
for President exists, and that In this
respect he stands second only to Mr..
Taft. 1t may be safely assumed as
true that this sentiment exists (out-
side Of their own states1 for only
three republicans: Roosevelt, Taft
and Hughes.
Favorite Sons Conspiracy.
OF the other possible republican
candidates, Cannon, Fairbanks. and
Knox are the only ones necessary to
consider. Each Of these men, 1t is
commonly assumed, will control his
State delegation in the National con-
vention. Already there exists among
these men an understanding and q
working agreement whereby they are
| to work in concert to secure the con-
! troll Of the convention.
The shrewdest politicians here do
not believe that Mr.. Cannon, Mr.
| Knox, Mr.. Fairbanks, Mr.. Cortelyou,
or Senator La Toilette entertain any
strong hopes Of securing the nomina-
ton, unless by a happy chance and
through the cooperation OF rival as
pirants. What they do hope for, and
what they are working for, Is to be in
a position to say who the candidate
will be, If not one Of themselves.
They now think they have a oombt-
nation sufficiently strong to efrect
this end, and, IL it may be whispered,
they hope to control the convention
80 effectually that even should Mr..
Roosevelt make it known that he de-
sires a. third term, they could thwart
his desire.
The Present Lineup.
To sum up the situation as 1t pre-
sentS itself to an observer in Wash