Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-27
TAFT'S RETURN OPENS
= -
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
Knox and Fairbanks Are Also Busy
While Other Possible Candidates
Pass Time in Summing Up
Their Chances

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 26-The return to
| Washington this week of Secretary of
| War Taft has officially opened the winter
presidential campaign season. There Is
certain to be increased activity in the
camps of the different rivals for the Re-
| publican nomination from now on.
| Mr.. Taft's literary bureau In Column
bus is working overtime in keeping mem
| bers of congress supplied with nice fresh
| literature extolling the virtues of their
| candidate, and insisting, with various
| turns of written speech, that he is the
| only available candidate for the Republi-
can party to choose at its convention in
| June,
| At the same time, Senator Knox and
Vice President Fairbanks are furnishing
up the brasswork on their booms and
| preparing to get into action. Senator
| Foraker also has aroused himself and
is now engaged'in in an effort to force the
Taft people to an open test of strength
| in Ohio
"Uncle Joe' Cannon is not saying
much, but 1t is noticeable that he is
| chewing up more cigars now than for
merly-a trick that always betrays the
| fact the speaker is engaged in deep
| thought. Former Secretary of the Treas
ury Shaw has been running over to
| Washington from New York quite fire.
| quently of late, and he has not denied
| In fact, there is little doubt that when
the presidential lightning flashes it will
| disclose veritable forest of lightning
rods
| The action Of the New York Republican
| county committee in spostponing the in
dorsement of Governor Hughes candi.
| dacy is not regarded as having hurt
| Hughes chances.
| AS had been expected. Representative
Theodore E. Burton of Ohio has been re-
appointed chairman of the rivers and
harbors committee OF the house.
| For many weeks Mr.. Burton has
| fought against return to the leader
| ship of this committee, it being his ex-
pressed desire to be left free to work in
dependently on the floor of the house.
| His deep knowledge of the subject of wa
| terways, however, made him especially
| fitted for this assignment, and Speaker
Cannon insisted upon his accepting an
| other term.
Mr.. Burton has changed greatly within
| the last four years on the subject of
appropriations for waterway develop
| ments. He has kept down bills to the
minimum In the interest of economy. but
at the recent convention of the national
river and harbors congress, held here
early this month, he made known his
conversion to the platform of the organ
| ization, and said he agreed with 1t the
time had come when not less than $780,
100000 year should be fixed upon as the
sum to be expended by the government
in developing the rivers and harbors of
the country.
Judging from this statement, Mr.. Bur
ton looks with favor upon the efforts be-
ing made by members of the national
rivers and harbors congress to have an
appropriation bill passed at this session.
| 1t is considered essential that work on
waterway improvements be pushed with
the utmost rapidity because of the great
growth of commerce and the complete
Inability of the railroads to keep pace
with it.
There has been veritable epidemic OF