The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-21
SECRETARY rAFr,s CHANGES.
Result of Withdrawal of Ohio Faction
 Makes Easy Road.

nomination by the republican party is now almost assured. The virtual sur render of the Foraker-Dick-Cox ma chine in Ohio removes the most valid party objection to him, namely, the claim that he could not carry his own state. It does not appear that any formal compact has been entered into. nor Is it likely that Secretary Taft will enter into one himself, or knowingly permit his managers to enter into one for him. And if Foraker and Dick, find- ing that they could gain no assurances Of their own safety, should hereafter try to rally their forces and renew the fight they would obviously be doomed to defeat. The morale of the machine as an organization for fighting Secre- tar Taft was destroyed the moment they indicated a readiness to go over to his support; it would fight no bet ter than an army whose commander had offered to surrender to the enemy and had then decided to fight merely because he could not gain the promise to be continued in command.
 With doubt thus removed of Secre- tary Taft's having Ohio behind him, it is reasonable to exyect that the Taft boom will promptly spread with alto gether new yigor in other states. It is known that certain prominent par ty leaders have thus far held aloof from the Taft movement, in some cases through the belief that Ohio should first make known it's preference. Now, however, both these causes for re- Training from joining the Taft move ton may henceforth say, with some reason. that those who are not for Taft are against him. It is also clear that the whole sequence of events in Ohio has been more 70 Mir Tafts ad- vantage than if 1t had been mapped out with q free hand by hls own most ardent supporters, Now that he has won, he profits immensely through the fact that there has been fight agains, him. The Ohio situation has been ad vertised in every State in the Union, and has been the most absorbing topic of national politics. It is not an in- variable rule in politics that a man is stronger through making q winning fight than if he had had no fight to make, but in the case of MT. Taft and Ohio it certainly holds true. Next to the president the man who thus far has most helped the Taft candidacy, albeit unwilingly, is Senator Foraker.
 It had come to be the opinion of many observers, even before the sud- den collapse of the opposition in 0hio that President Roosevelt would be able to control the republican convention in favor of his choice as his successor, In the light, therefore, of present events, and barring unforeseen developments of some sensational nature, there seems but Taft. and those who a year ago made up their minds that it would be Taft against Bryan in 1908 are entitled to take comfort in the thought that thus far their judgment has been justi- fled, In view of Secretary Tafts new strength and the continued emphatic statements of President RooseyeN's 8 closest friends that he will not run again, it Is not unlikely that there will be a marked Subsistence of the third term talk as an accompaniment to the new concentration of interest in Mir. Taft.
 In connection with this sudden im- proyenent in the Taft prospects, which tends at once to make the secretary of war a more powerful figure, the story is sent out from Washington that a move will be made against Speaker Cannon and that MT. Tafts choice for the place is his Ohio leader, Represent ative Theodore E. Burton of Cleve- land. Those who have followed Mir. Taft will take little stock in the story in so far as 1t promises any active ef- fort on his part to put Mir. Burton in the speakers chair It would not be a good omen for his possible career as president, nor would it comport with his previous record of good judgment, if he should actively enter into any such movement affecting the organiza- ton of a coordinate branch of the government. But that he would like to see MT. Burton made senator or speaker is another thing and is hard ly to be doubted. In the first place MT. Burton has for several years been re- garded by many close observers in Washington as conspicuously the ab- lest man in the house; which of itself is reason enough for Mir. Taft's favor. In the second place, MT, Burton, like Mir. Taft, has come out for tariff re, vision-whioh is certain to become a burning issue during the next adminis- tration--while MT. Cannon is the bull wark O? the stand-patters and the in- carnatiCn of narrowness on many pub lie questions. Yet it is unfortunately not in the least likely that Mir Can non's hold can be shaken. Though it has been supposed that he favored MT. Fairbanks whom Mir. Taft has yet.to beat, the speaker has a good eye for weather, and showed it when he diplo- matically remarked the other day when pressed as to his choice, that he guess !, ed he "could get along with any pres ident. Springfield Republican.