Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-09-05
Washington Bureau
OF the Courier
Washington, D. c., Sept. 8.


Who will get New York's seventy
Two votes in the republican national
convention? This is a question that Is
being passed down the line and just
now none seems prepared to give
satisfactory answer. The vote of the
state Is mighty fine nest egg, and 1t
Is not strange that keen interest is be-
In times gone by the Empire state
In combination with other large states
has frequently named the party's nom
hee for president.
Just now. as most of the well-in-
formed politicians know, a skillful
game is being played for control Of the
delegation the state will send to the
convention; Three possibilities are be-
Ing considered. President Roosevelt
may control the delegation for his ia
vorite candidate. William H. Taft; the
seventy-two votes may be cast for
Governor Hughes; or George B. Cor
telyou, secretary Of the treasury, may
get them. 1t should be added that re-
Gently there has been a revival Of
Elihu Root talk but the three names
before mentioned are foremost as pos
sibilities. Governor Hughes occupies
the center Of the stage. He is prov
in~ an enigma to politicians. He has
not by one act or one word indicated
that he aspires to the presidency, but
the party in his own state and
throughout the nation is coming to re-
gard him as candidate.
Having put through the state legis.
lature the largest and by far the Dest
arist of reform laws ever enacted by
sne state. he went to the woods for q
month and on his return started on
visit to the county fairs of the COM
nonwealth.
1t was announced when he started
on his county fair circuit that there
was to be no politics in his trip, but ne
has talked day by dav and has said
things which the newspapers from one
end of the country to the other have
found it necessary to print. man
who thinks real thoughts cannot KEEP
out of the newspapers. His speeches
have been a plea for intelligent regu-
lation of the corporations-for calm
ness and elaboration in the making Of
laws He has laid much stress, too, on
the ability of the states to regulate
the corporations and concerns doing
business within the state. In his trip
many attempts have been made &c
draw him out on the presidential stu
alton, but they have all failed and ne
has not uttered word about his fu-
ture political plans, if he has any.
But the president and his politica
lieutenants in the state Of New 1orR
see in Hughes dangerous politica
quantity and they are prepared to ac'
accordingly. There is no longer doub,
that the President does not intend
Hughes shall have the New York dele
CATION Whether the President can
control the situation, is question MOI
answered by the shrewdest of the New
York politicians. 1t was the President
who suggested Hughes for governor
after he, the President with the assist
ance Of George B. Cortelyou. had reor
ganized the party in the state. Pub.
licly the President is not on record
as ever having said word against the
governor, but the stories told in pr!-
vate are to the effect that Mr. Roose-
Welt has never felt kindly to him since
the governor refused to accept the
white House offer of help last winter
when it seemed the reform laws Were
In danger of defeat. Hughes at thai
lime without saving anything either