The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-06-21
TAFT BOOM
AND OTHERS
tMail Special to the Advertlser.)

(Mail Special TO the Advertiser.)
WASHINGTON, d. c., May 25.-
There is much elation in Congressional
circles over claims that the President Is
successorship campaign is practically
circumvented. Several very influential
Senators and several very influential
Representatives have "dropped i'm
here this week. Most Of them also
"dropped inn on New York en- route.
All are giving about the same account
of the situation. They say that, as far
as the preliminaries have taken shape,
the President will not be able to die.
tate the name of the candidate. They
concede, however, that he may hold
a veto power over the convention. That
is, he may have enough authority to
prevent the nomination going to any
man whom he does not approve.
Whatever the foundation of this
| claim, the Taft boomers around Wash.
ington have been losing enthusiasm in
the face of recent developments. They
say his candidacy has not aroused the
popular interest expected. They have
many regrets for the Ohio quarrel. The
cry of Presidential dictation' has
hurt, according to reports from many
directions.
The steps taken to tie up delegates
from most of the large Republican
states-especially those states that roll
up majorities for the dominant party
are the cause of present confidence
among men playing against the Presi-
dent. New York, one of the most es
sential of states in such a controversy,
seems to be moving toward an en-
dorsement of Hughes. Speaker Can
mons friends and Senator Knox IS
friends in New York are moving that
way. Both those candidates have been
in New York recently and brought
back word that that was the trend
and that Hughes was likely to become
entirely Independent of Roosevelt. The
White House resentment against Gov.
Hughes is undoubtedly strong, not
withstanding inspired statements to the
contrary.
The New England states as far as
sounded, are non-committal. They
have total of 50 delegates-more
than New York-and most of the dele
gates from that section usually act in
concert. The influence of the Con-
gressional leaders from New England
will be for uninstructed delegations.
Senator Lodge, who is here attending
the Brownsville hearing, favors Secre-
tary Taft and believes he will be nom
mated. He would be glad if the Mas
sachusetts delegates could be for the
is not in favor of Secretary Taft at |
present, nor in favor of any other can
didate. He thinks it preferable to
await the development of popular senti-
ment. Personally Mr.. Crane is very
friendly with Senator Knox but he
remarked when last in Washington
that that by no means indicated any
of the Massachusetts delegates would |
be for the Pennsylvania. The Junior
Senator thinks it necessary to nominate
the candidate who will be the strongest
vote getter.
That comes very near to being the
attitude also of Republican Senators
and Representatives in other New Eng
land states, as reported here, and, in
an informal way, some pretty thorough
canvassing has been done.
The second largest Republican state
is Pennsylvania. There seems no doubt
that Senator Knox will hold the 6S
delegates from there absolutely. He,
not Senator Penrose. is the actual par
ty leader in Pennsylvania, AS far as
and local leaders in sew
eral states and districts can say what
delegates are going to do. many of
them, outside of Pennsylvania, have
assured the Senator of their support.
In the presence of about twenty
newspaper correspondents some weeks
ago President Roosevelt specifically an
nounced that he did not count Sena-
tor Knox, formerly his attorney gem
eral, in the favorite son class he de-
nounced in connection with the Sc, ,000,-
900 conspiracy. Then the President has
said many things publicly In praise of
Mr.. Knox. At the proper time those
sayings are to be industriously circu-
lated In various parts of the land. His
friends say Mr.. Knox did as much as
anybody to bring about the purchase
of the Panama Canal, the laying of the
cable to Manila, and the punishment
OF wicked trusts. He fought some rail-
road cases through the Supreme Court
successfully, which gained him popu-
larity with labor men. The Senator has
letters from New Jersey,
Delaware, and from the Northwest. In
which section his prosecution of the
Northern Securities case was popular.
There have been indications that tho
President Will hardly dare 10 put
Speaker Cannon IN the offensive fay-
orlte son class, The Speaker recently
has been swearing by the Eternal that
the President had better not. as there