The Irish standard., 1907-04-13
Struggle For Buckeye States Vote in the
Next Republican National Con-
vention Will be Bitter.
A Political Romance Involved in the Relations
Between the President and the
Ohio Senator.

The struggle between President
Roosevelt and Senator Foraker for the
political possession Of Ohio promises
to be the conspicuous feature of Re
publican national politics for a number
of months. The primaries, to be called
at the convenience of Senator Foraker,
may determine the victor, or the final
result may not he known until the Re
publican national convention assem-
bles in June 1908.
While President Roosevelt has made
no public declaration tina, his secre
tary of war, William II. Taft. should
have the support Of Ohio in the ma
tional convention. 1t is we'll known that
the president takes almost every occa-
sion when speaking personally of ma
tional political affairs to tell of his ad-
miration for Secretary Taft and to
Of Ohio in the convention. The sec
retary's brother. Charles P. Taft. has
up to the present time done most OF
the campaigning for the secretary. and
it was because Of tho work put in by
the secretarys brother for him that
Senator Foraker has flung down the
gauntlet to both President Roosevelt
and Secretary Taft and has invited the
friends of Secretary Taft to meet him
at what promises to he an Ohio Phil
ippi. with Senator Foraker and his
colleague. Senator Dick. and their
friends ON one side and Secretary
Taft's friends. including President
Roosevelt, on the other.
| The custom of the Republican ma
tional party differs from that Of the
Democratic party in that candidate
for the presidency according to Re-
publican custom and tradition must re-
ceive the support Of his own state.
The Democratic party has not been so
particular in this matter, for 1t is re-
called that Grover Cleveland in 1892,
notwithstanding the united and Wit
rotic opposition of New York state,
was nominated at Chicago. IT. is the
universal opinion that If Secretary
Taft is to he nominated ny the Re-
publican national convention ha must
have the support of his own state.
The presidents apparent advocacy
Of Secretary Taft to he his successor
has recalled to members Of the Re-
publican national committee that there
is no precedent in the annals Of the
party for the presidents attitude.
Since the first candidate of the party.
John c. Fremont. ran in 1855. the only
Republican president who has had two
terms as president was Ulysses S.
Grant, and old time Republican poll
ticians in recalling those days have
remarked that Gen. Grant made no ef-
fort to influence the Republican na-
tionaI convention which named his
successor, Rutherford B. Hayes OF
Ohio.
President Roosevelt and Senator For
dker nfst met aL Gne RepuDllcdn Hd =
tionaI convention at Chicago in 1884.
Roosevelt was 26 and Foraker was 3S.
Foraker was Cornell university man
and Roosevelt a Harvard university
man.
Foraker was a. farmers hoy. and for
four years had been a. soldier in the
ranks In the civil war; quitting the
war as first lieutenant and brevet cap
tain, after which he was graduated at
Cornell. He was judge of the superior
court Of Cincinnati in 1879. but re-
signed on account Of i'll health and was
next heard of as the Republican candi-
date for governor of Ohio in 1883, but
was debated.
Roosevelt was a. city boy. born in
New York city. and had been accus-
toned from his cradle to the finest of
fine surroundings He came from one
of the oldest and most distinguished
families. He had served three years
in the assembly at Albany. He was