The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-25
PRESIDENT MAY
CHAMPION KNOX
But Not Until Taft ReturnS---It
May Be CorteIyou,
However.
1Man special to the Advertiser.l


political leaven is working, now that
off year elections are over. Returns
were hardly in from Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey,
Maryland, and Kentucky-not to men
ton Cleveland, Ohio-before tongues
began to wag anew about the nomina-
ton of a presidential candidate. To
date the discussion has been largely
about New York and Ohio with con-
siderable mention of Pennsylvania.
| Pennsylvania figures in the gossip
because of Senator Philander Chase
Knox. 1t is remembered, of course,
that Mr.. Knox has the endorsement of
Pennsylvania for the presidency. The
President has said many nice things
general at one time in his cabinet,
but he grew somewhat frosty toward
the Senator because the men backing
him were against the Presidents
favorite, Secretary of War Taft. Dur
ing the money panic, however, Sena-
| tor Knox has been much in Washing
J
| tors soundness as a councillor, ad-
vised with him much and realized
anew what strong man he is in hand
/ ling big questions. AS the Precedent is
greatly Disguised with Secretary Taft's
political managers, especially his half
brother, Charles P. Taft, and his man
ager, Insurance. Commissioner Vorys,
there has been considerable talk about
l 40 rxrhn "A prnCfHanf
desert the Taft boom. 1t may have
been simply idle gossip but much has
been heard about the possibility that
the President would soon champion the
Knox boom, rather than permit the
man he greatly dislikes, Gov. Hughes,
| from becoming the nominee.
a galaxy of notable prophets have
/ been shouting from the housetops that
| the Taft boom is expiring. Their pro-
| phecies may come true, but they are
unQuestionably premature. There is
not warrant yet for such a prediction.
Every opponent of the administration
| seized upon the defeat of President
Roosevelt's and Secretary Taft's can
didate for mayor of Cleveland-Rep-
resentative, T. z. Burton-by Tom L.
Johnson to the tune of over 5000 votes,
as sounding the deathknell of the Sec
rotary of Wars presidential ambitions
The President and his Secretary of
War interfered in that municipal cleo
ton, which was promptly advertised
to the whole country. AS things are
| interpreted in Washington, this has re-
suited in virtual triumph for Sena-
tor Foraker and in assuring his return
to the Senate next year. For il Rep
resentative Burton had redeemed
Cleveland, he would have been the
Roosevelt-Taft candidate for Senator
from Ohio. Now Mr.. Burton's promo |
ton to a toga is regarded as impos- |
sible Furthermore since Boss Cox car |
ried the municipal election in Cincin- |
natl, redeeming the city from Demo-
cratic rule he has been talking jaunt-
lily about Taft and Roosevelt, indicat
ing that he will return to the support
of Senator Foraker and that the Re-
publican organization manned by For
aker. Dick and Cox will control the
Buckeye State as they have been do
ing for some years.
This will certainly react unfavorably
upon the Taft boom and is unpleasant
for the President to contemplate. If
there is a man in public life he would
like to eliminate it is Senator Foraker.
His plans to accomplish this, laid many
months ago, now promise to go awry.
Secretary Taft, however, is probably
still the leading candidate for the pres /
idency. He is out of the country and ]
will be for six weeks yet. That alone
makes the advancement of his inter- ,
ests as a candidate more difficult. The ,
President, therefore. has the handicaps
of the Secretary's absence and of the |
IaS fa& IN, - -Arlyt
against.
Every weakness of the Taft boom
Is popularity supposed to strengthen 6
the chances of Gov Hughes of New :
York for the nomination. Besides sup '
porting the cause of his favorite, the 3
President also has to fight the Hughes r
boom. Gov. Hughes thus far is doing 6
nothing for himself and is giving no .
sign but the politicians in the Empire f
state are lining up for and against him :
and a merry war is impending there. r
The President apparently is reluctant i
TO show his hand, lest it lead to bitter f
party strife and make it all the more +
difficult for the Republicans to carry c
New York next year. The State has r
been growing more Democratic every
year, because of the increasing Demo-
cratic vote in New York city.
Some of the Roosevelt politicians
rom New York were coming down here =
Tor a conference. but the matter was so :
widely advertised and so generally
upon that it was abandon
ID. It is claimed with apparent rea- :
son that the President can not long !.
iefer action in New York. for a de- :
termination there as to whom the dele
gates shall support is likely to be very :
decisive. If he can prevent instruc- .
ions for Gov. Hughes he will gain
pig point.
It is far from probable that the
President will desert the Taft boom. :
i'll he is very certain that the case is
hopeless. He could not. in good faith,
desert it till Secretary Taft has re-
urned, for 1t is we'll understood that d
he Secretary put on the harness re- =
and only after there had been ,
very specific understanding between n
lin and the President. The Secretary
will be back in WASHINGTON late in
December. Soon after he lands he VIII
l