The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-01-11
FORAKER GETTING READY.

teries
FORAKER GETTING READY.
In the meantime Senator Foraker Is
preparing himself for the clash. lie
will have to fight singlehanded. Some
Senators will come to his aid, but in
the main he must rely upon himself
lie will hardly shrink from the test,
for he loves to fight. The senate
probably has no lawyer able to cope
with him and that is decidedly his adj
vantage. But back OF the President
and back of the Senators who support
him are trio OF very astute lawyers
Secretaries Root and Taft and At
torney General Bonaparte. Their for
tunes are with the President in this
matter. 1t is to their interest. almost
as much as to the Presidents. to do"
Senator Foraker good and hard. The
President is not a lawyer. although
he has acquired lot OF legal acumen
since he took up the trust cases. His
advisers. OF course, can be depended
on to supply him with advice and
strategy in meeting the aggressive
Ohioan.
The spectacular part of the contro-
versy for a time will be in the Senate.
| But the fight will almost certainly be
transferred from that forum to an in
vestigation committee. Witnesses will
be summoned. Senator Foraker will
undoubtedly be at the table to examine
and cross examine, and there will be
struggle for the kernels of truth.
Captain Biz Mcdonald, of the Texas
Rangers, who takes the Presidents
side of the affair, announces that he
would go forty miles out of his way
to be cross-examined by Senator For
aker. "Bilf' is a great character and
sharp of tongue 1t would be n great
scene with Senator Foraker plying him
with questions and "Bill" giving 1t
back to him with all the spirit of the
freedom-loving Texan. The Senate in
vestigating committee will almost GER
tainly call "Bill'' to go 1000 miles out
of his way by coming to Washington,
which will be all the more agreeable
to BILL because he will have mileage
IA fat consideration-and a chance to
visit the national capital
The investigation is likely to last
through much of the session of Con-
gress, II there Is an investigation, and
many are now convinced that there
will be one. With such political giants
in opposing roles, none of them is
likely to rest till the last resource has
been exhausted. If Senator Foraker
can bring 1t out that most OF the
colored soldiers are innocent, or that
all Of them are Notwithstanding he
does not now and never has claimed
with any certainty--he will have proved
that the President did not proceed as
carefully and as thoroughly as he
should have done. Then the Ohio Sem
ator and his friends would be tri-
umphant. But IL the investigation
fails to develop any additional evidence
of Importance and the President sus-
tains his case, he will have the laugh
on the Buckeye lawmaker; and big
figure in Republican politics, who is
credited with ambitions to reach the
White House, will have a reverse.
The whole controversy over the
Brownsville ARRAY is thought to be I'M
portant in the making and the unmak-
ing of Presidents. 1t may not look that
way year or two hence, when the
country can get the retrospect. With |
eyes to the front now, however, the |
aspirants think 1t is very important.
The President thinks so, or is begin
ming to think so. The politicians see
that II Senator Foraker can get the
negro vote solidly behind him, as will |
likely be the case, he will be a factor
of added influence in the next National
convention.
DENOMINATION CHANCES.
Men are already saying that the Pres
ident can not be renominated, even
should he wish another term. He sim
cerely does not wish another term and |
Will not accept 1t. But there has arisen
such hostility to him in many quarters |
that the party leaders would hesitate |
to take man who would have difficulty |
in polling the negro vote, which holds
the balance of power in a number of |
states extending from the Atlantic sea-
board to the Mississippi river. BY the |
same token it will become increasingly |
difficult for Mr.. Roosevelt to dictate the |
name OF his successor, as he would I'M
doubtedly like to do. The same negro
for President Roosevelt is
now shared for Secretary Taft. 1t
looks as though the firing of fifty rife
shots in the obscure town of Browns
vile, Tex, one night last August, had
also put him out of the presidential
uuiliB. Sucn an outcome would I'M |
help Senator Foraker, for it
will likely leave him clear field with
the Buckeye delegation.
The Ohioans in Washington say that
the Presidents course Is bound to help
Senator Foraker whatever happens
With reference to the investigation. The
attack the President has made upon
he Goth Ohio regiment, whose dis
charge he cited as a precedent uphold
ng his discharge of the colored batta-
ion of the 25th Infantry, will also help
he senator In Ohio. 1t happens that in
1861, when that regiment was
ncamped in Highland County, Ohio,
dr. Foraker, then a very young man,
pplied to be enlisted. Its officers would
lot accept him because he was under
ge and 1t was year later before he :
lid enlist.
The regiment was enlisted for one +.
ear. Although the men were enlisted l..
n September, 1851, they were not form
ny taken into the service of the Fed
raj government till the following Feb
uary. The regiment moved South,
aw active service, was captured and
Is men subsequently paroled and sent
orth. When September, 1852, came
H.