The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-12

New York State has not yet been for,
gotten. Hannibal Hamlin another
Maine man, lost the Presidency simply
because of a whim of the National
Republican Convention of 1864. He had
served acceptably during Lincoln's first
term and it was expected that he
would be renominated as Vice Presi-
dent. But a movement was started in
the convention to select someone from
the South and Johnson was taken. If
it had not been for that, Mr.. Hamlin
would have had another term of four
years and after the assassination Of
! Lincoln would have become President.
Had that been the case, probably a
good deal of the history of the United
States during the years Immediately
following the Civil War would have
been far different.
WHAT FORAKER MAY DO.
As already stated, Governor Hughes
is growing in strength in the West.
and it is believed that Senator For
aker viii eventually champion his nom
| ination. The Onio Senator is a strong
| man in National conventions. He has
been attending conventions for twenty
years and more and promises to be one
| of the leading figures in the next con-
vention. Probably he will go as del
egate at large from Ohio unless the
| Taft forces succeed in freezing him out,
/ but in that event he would probably
be made a delegate from one of the
| Cincinnati Congressional districts or
some admirer from a Congressional dis
| trict elsewhere in the country would
| give him a proxy. He will have no
/ difficulty in being a delegate and ex-
ercising a delegates prerogatives if he
so desires.
If Governor Hughes proves to be the
strongest candidate against Secretary
Taft, it would be no surprise II Sem
ator Foraker jumped into the arena for
the New Yorker and threw all 1.e
strength for him that he possibly could.
He may do that for Senator Knox.
provided Senator Knox grows forbid
able. And there will be numerous in
fiuential men cooperating with Senator
Foraker, for there is a strong coterie
of Republican politicians who will stop
at almost nothing to prevent the Pres
ident from debating the name Of his
successor. They urge that the Repub-
lican party and not its President
should have the say about national
nominations. President Roosevelt has
absolutely dominated the House of
Representatives for the last six years;
he has had his way to a large extent
with the Senate, although that body
has stoutly resisted executive en-
croachments. Now Senators are in the
front rank of those who want to. pre-
vent Presidential encroachments upon
the nominating conventions of the
party. 1t is claimed that 1t would be
a very bad precedent to establish. 1t
was never done but once and that was
more than fifty years ago.
HAS TAFT INSIDE TRACK?
When all the conditions are consider |
ed, however, it looks in Washington as
though Secretary Taft at present has |
the inside track. His strength is the |
lack of other available candidates. |
There seems to be no disposition to |
take Speaker Cannon seriously because |
of his age. In these strenuous days OF
young men, candidate past 20 years
old would be a handicap to his party.
It would be hard to convince the vot-
ers that Uncle joe is as vigorous
mentally and physically as he really is.
In the last Presidential campaign the |
waged a relentless war
upon the Democratic candidate for the
Vice Presidency, Henry GasSoway Da-
Wis of West Virginia, because he was
eighty years old. They could not we'll
now turn about and nominate for the
far more important office of President
a man who is less than ten years
than Mr.. Davis was in 1904.
There will be strong objections to
Governor Hughes. The politicians have
already seen enough of him to know
that they would have scanr consid-
Grafton were he placed in the White
House. The masses are learning 10
like him on that account. But his
and election would mean
that the politicians must abandon all
hope of recognition during his term.
They look upon him with far less fav-
or than upon President Roosevelt. He
the politicians, although he
does not always treat them with con-
On occasion he will ulay
politics with them. He always keeps
in relation more or less close with the
leaders of the party. He arrarges his
plans with them. Governor Hughes I
AOIuS dioOI. ne oScluES WLidI ne wants
and then hangs on till he gets it.
Gov. Hughes is entirely merciless in
the organization of his par
". He has practically demoralizad the .
organization in New York
state. To the men who go to Repub-
lean conventions their organization
means a great deal. The organization
Is an important factor in carrying cleo
tons 1t is important in MANY otbar
ways to the party. If Governor Hughes
should become President the Repubn-
cans would have reason to expect as