Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-21
CAPITAL CHAT.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

are. in fact. very numerous ana lncluue
q large number of the members or the |
House who, out of regard for the
Sneaker and the service he has rem
dered over a long term Of years, think
him eminently qualified for the White
House.
One of the Ohio senators, Mr.. For
aker, is himself a declared candidate
for the Presidency. His colleague, SEN
ator Dick, is for him. The Is Republl-
can members of the House from ONO
are either on the fence or divided IN
their allegiance between Senator For
aker and Secretary Taft. All that adds
to the interest in things political, espe-
cially as Senator Foraker is known as
an aggressive fighter. OF course Sec
retary Taft has some champions,
"champeens,' as the ruralites say, in
Congress. Some of the strong Roose-
Welt men are for him, notably Repre-
sentative Nicholas Longworth. the
Presidents son-in-law, who is one of
the Ohio Republicans in the House.
Representative Burton. leading Ohio
Republican, is likewise the secretary's
leading "Champeen.'
Less is heard among the senators
boom, although he halls from the great
state of New York with So members
of the House. The New Workers are
not taking sides very vigorously for
ANYBODY, but some of them are for
Cortelyou and some are for Gov.
Hughes and some are for Speaker Can
non Secretary Cortelyous statement,
denying that he has not been a candi-
date has not discouraged his friends.
| With such divided camps, the like of
which has not been seen here before
since the last year and a half of the
second Cleveland administration, when
| the late Speaker Reed of Maine was a
candidate for the Presidency against
Gov. William Mckinley, who had been
in the House for several terms, the po-
litical pot is kept boiling constantly.
The political topic has given the con-
| gressmen something to talk about, for
| Congress has not been doing anything
that affords topic of conversation for
even a day. During their visits home
during the holidays the congressman
will learn something how their Repub-
| lican constituents are thinking on the
question OF the Presidency. They will
| also bring back ideas about the dates
| for conventions for the choice of dele
| gates. These conventions will hardly
| be held before February and some of
| them will not be held till May, but
there is already something of rush
for early dates in some localities. Kan
sas used to like being first to choose
delegates to a Republican National
convention. The Republicans out there
thought they could select the winner
and be the first on the bandwagon
There was talk about Tennessee hold
ing the first convention, but the Ten
neSsce enthusiasm has been curbed by
the Presidents reiteration of his in
tention not to be a candidate again
Ohio is anxious, as far as it's Taft ad-
herents are concerned. to have early
primaries. because they hope to put
Senator Foraker out of business. And
the latest state to agitate for an early
convention has been Indiana, because
the Vice Presidents friends think he
would gain some sentimental advant-
age ty a show of his support in his
home state.
| However, the contest for delegates
will not reach the real hot point before
the middle of February or the first of
} March. The middle Western and some
of the Southern states will be holding
conventions by that time and there will
be tally sheets in many an official pock-
ct by that time. The local politicians
will be running much to and from
Washington for all the Republican
Presidential candidates. except Gov
Hughes, are in Washington this WIN
. ter.
i, 1t is not believed here that any can
didate will have an assured ma jOrity
. of the delegates in advance of the con-
vention. The forcasters may possibly
be mistaken. but the unit rule does not
, apply in Republican conventions, as it
does in Democratic, and probably a
, very large portion of the states will
have divided votes in the convention
There will be great difficulty in as
pertaining just how much strength a
candidate can count upon. A number
of states, especially those in New Eng.
land will almost certainly send unin.
. structcd delegations and some of those
uninstructed delegates will hesitate
about declaring themselves till they
e have had ample opportunity to sounC
sentiment and to gather information
about the vote getting qualifications O
the candidates.
1t may happen that some one Of tn,
: candidates will forge ahead so mucf
I during the winter that his nomination
will seem quite as certain as McKin
ley's nomination became during hi
= contest with Mr. Reed. Those, VIII,
want to see the liveliest kind of a ma
tional convention, hope that it will b.
anybody's race right up to the tim
of the ballotting. so that the countr,
Q can witness again a contest such a
prevailed in the sos when President
. were made in convention and not dur
ing the delegate electing period preced
ing Il.