The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-11-08
REMARKABLE
POLITICAL CAM
PAIGN In VIEW
Will President Roosevelt Positively
Decline and If So Who Will
Be Chosen?
The Republicans Up Against the
Hardest Proposition Expert
enced In Many Years.

enced In Many Years.
The Washington correspondent
Of the Minneapolis Journal has
the following political gossip:
Every line communication lead
ing into Washington, from any
portion Of the country you may
choose, brings nothing but con-
6rmation Of the current belief that
the next republican national con-
vention will be the most remark
able political gathering that has
ever occurred.
From one state after the other
and from one congressional dis
trict after the other comes ever the
same word: II am for Roosevelt
first, and [ believe he will be nomi-
mated. I cannot believe he will
decline, but if he should. then [
am for Taft. or for Cannon. or for
Hughes, or for" as the case may
happen to stand with the particu-
lar person who is speaking. But
the man has yet to come to Wash
ington from any state Of the union
who says: Il am against the re-
nomination of Roosevelt"
The singular part Of the busi-
ness is that the unanimity Of senti-
ment makes it impossible, to sepa-
rate the sheep from the goats,
those who are honestly for Roose-
velt's denomination from those
who are using his popularity for
the purpose Of cloaking their real
feelings and intentions.
It will be remembered that Mr..
Roosevelt last winter exposed Il
certain conspiracy to deliver the
country over to the reactionaries,
and that the conspiracy leaked out
thru certain eastern senator who
was in his cups, it is alleged, at a
dinner gives by Senator Bourne Of
Oregon at the Shorehem hotel in
Washington. In that exposure
the president predicted the exact
situation now prevailing. He said
it was the intent of the conspira-
tors to tie up the delegation from
their states to Roosevelt, but un-
pledged in any other direction, be-
lieving that this would leave the
national convention in their hands
to be manipulated after the presi-
dent h ad declined a denomination.
But, ridiculous as it may seem,
this hypothesis OF the present turn
of events gives the enemies OF the
president credit for believing that
he meant what he said on election
night in 1904, when he declared he
would not run again while it leaves
those who are sincerely for his re-
nomination. in the attitude of
doubling his sincerity upon that
occasion. Still, it is perhaps his
enemies who have the best reason
to know that he is man Of his
word, for how many beautiful lick
ings he had to give some of them
before they could realize that un-
like the common, ragweed poll
tician, he meant what he said.
About third of the members Of
the United States senate have been
here within the last week, and each
as fast as he landed has been asked
what he had to say for himself on
the presidential nomination on the
republican side of the fence, and
each has made some sort Of de-
claration for Roosevelt. If a re-
publican senator, he was said in
every case that his state was for
the denomination of the president;
and, if a democrat, he has more or
less shyly given expression to the
same sentiment, as, for instance,