The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-29
OHIO POLITICS AT THE BOILING POINT Foraker- Taft Scrap on at Drop
 of Hat ROOSEVELT IS IN A STEW oId-Line Republicans Will Resent His Attempt Which Is Likely to
 Name Taft as His
 Successor.
ROOSEVELT IS IN A STEW
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.

1 BY WAT PERSON SIEAEEY. Washington, March 2S.-(Special.) )-The Ohio republican politicians, as well as those from other states, are looking for ward to the Foraker-Taft scrap with the greatest interest, and expect to see the
 fire begin to fly almost any minute. Sen ator Foraker's challenge is typical of the man. For thirty years he has had to fight in Ohio politics, and he does not know anything else but fight. He has taken licking himself at times, and he has administered few that are still re- membered in Ohio by those who partici- pated in them. His plan has always been, when a fight appeared inevitable, to get in and lead the shindy himself. This is what he has done in the present case.
 Senator Foraker is not afraid of Pres ident Roosevelt, as every Ohio man knows, and as the President himself is aware.
 1 Senator Foraker and Senator Dick are indisputably in absolute control of the re- l publican machine in Ohio. They regard, and the Ohoan in general will regard, the Roosevelt-Taft-Burton coalition as an ef- 1 fort to smash that machine and set up a l
 new one.
 Unsettling of Plans. ] That means the unsettling of a great many political plans that are now in pro- | cess of laying, and the realignment of af- fairs in every small political subdivision of the state. Senator Foraker and Sem 'ator Dick will be out in the state within l fortnight tightening up the machine and assembling the screws on the defen- slve.
 Senator Foraker, 1t is said. will make a speech in the eighty-eight county seats in the state and will discuss before the voters questions in which they are Inter- ested and upon which they will also de- mand to hear Secretary Taft. For one thing, the Ohio people say the voters will want to know how Secretary Taft stands on the tariff, There are ru- mors in Ohio that he is weakkneed on protection.
 Ohio is as much of a proteetionist state as Pennsylvania and Senator Foraker Is a protectionist.
 It is pointed out that Senator Dick and Secretary Taft have been completely at odds over the question of the Philippine tariff, Secretary Taft standing for free trade and Senator Dick successfully op-
 
 1t is said, the lndorsement of his state. The Brownsville affair will undoubtedly have to be explained at some length to voters in as much as Secretary Taft and Senator Foraker have taken such diame- tricaily opposite position In regard to it.. Secretary Taft Is also likely to be asked some embarrassing questions about his de- csions when on the bench on questions affecting the labor unions
 Hostile to Labor.
 He is declared to have record of a long line of judicial decisions absolutely hostile to labor.
 It is said that Secretary Taft himself realizes that he is open to hostility from the labor strength in the state. and | indeed has felt that if he should be a | candidate before a national convention | his record on the bench might operate to his disadvantage among the delegates for the states where there is a large labor vote.
 When it comes to a question of choos- ing between Secretary Taft and Senator Foraker as Ohio's candidate for the pres idency. republican voters are to be re- minded that Secretary Taft. by his atti- | tude os the Philippine tariff, is likely to 1 prove a weak candidate in Michigan, | Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and the Pa l cific slope. and this consideration may
 
 by Buckeye state politicians that Sec retary Tafts sole asset at the present time in the political game in Ohio Is | the supposed friendliness of President | Roosevelt.
 Ohio men say that there will have to be a "show down on that point before 1 very long. and that when the issue comes the President will find himself in rather l an embarra ssing position. l If the President should declare out | and out for Secretary Taft, it would cer- | tainly enrage a great many of the old | line republicans in Ohio, whe were ac- l tice in politics before Mr. Roosevelt was out of college, and who, 1t is said, will assuredly resent an attempt on the part 1 of an occupant of the White House to | dictate the nomination of his successor Embarrassing Questions. l Such a course on the part of the Pres | ident, it is said, would also raise em- barrassng questions for the Taft boom | CTS in other states What would the l Fairbanks people in Indiana, the Cannon | people In Illinois. the Root people in New York think of the President com i hitting himself to the candidacy of Mr. l Taft? Yet if the President does not throw | his strength equivocally on the side of 1 Secretary Taft. the Secretary will have l to stand alonge against the united ef-
 forts of the powerful state machine con | trolled by Senator Dick and Senator For | aker. Senator Foraker will also have a
 rich asset in the Grand Army of the Re- l public. He entered the union army as
 boy of 16, and in case of his nomina-
 tion for the presidency, he will be the
 last Grand Army of the Republic man
 for which that organization will ever | have the opportunity to vote 1 ------ News of GreenvllIe.