Middletown transcript., 1907-04-20
WASHINGTON LETTER

Washington D. O. April l3, 1907.
EVENTS "out in the country" are being
l. carefully watched from the White
House for it is recognized that the fight
for the next Presi lential nomination is
already on ard from lt,is time lurward
there will be constant succession OF plots
and counter plots, the more exasperating
and harder to fight from the fact that it
will be bushwhacking aud not fighting in
the open. 1t is generally recognized by
the politicians that the President is more
popular anywhere in the country than he
is in Washington. This does not mean
among the resident population of WASH
ington for that has no vote and does not
count, But the political population that is
assembled on Capital Hill for the most Of
each year is by no means friendly as
whole TO the President, and the most diff
fcult thing in the coming struggle will
be to pick out friends from foes aud know
who is really devoted to the President
and the policies represented by him.
The men of affairs who are friends of
tile President are being closely questioned |
as TO the country whenever they come to |
Washington from out of town and the |
concensus Of opinion CLEANED in this way |
may perhaps be safely taken as fair in
dication OF the general sentiment. The |
reports are that the President is stronger
in almost all parts Of the country with |
the voting population then lie has ever be-
fore. At the same time it is recognized |
that he is going to have the Republican
machine to fight in many of the stronger |
states, and this will mean an immense |
amount Of work. Reports that reach the
White House are not all favorable to |
Secretary Taft in Ohio. OF course the
fight from his side has scarcely begun |
there yet, but one OF the best politicians |
in the country, who has just come back to |
Washington from a visit to Columbus, |
ssys that Foraker is bound to win the state |
fight. And this if it is true will be |
handicap to his aspirations for the nomin-
alton. II will not mean his certain defeat |
but it will point strongly that way. OF
course the President las said that he is |
not backing Taft or any >other man per-
sonally. All he wants is someone who is
independent Of corporate influence and |
free and willing to carry out the so-called
Roosevelt policies. OF course il it is not
Taft, il might be Hughes or it might be
Hughes or it might be Root, though this
is unlikely, or it might be someone else.
Or il might be President Roosevelt himself. |
He has said that he does not want the nom-
ination again and he has repeated it SO
often that he must be tired OF saving it. |
But the sentiment Of the country seems
to be pointing strongly toward forc-
ing the nomination on him whether he |
wants it or rot and there may be a
cycloue that lie cannot Withstand. !
One thing is certain, and that the /
states are getting rapidly into line for tie |
hght and number OF the staunche { po-
litical leaders have said they are ready to
P'Soeo wig oONSi al oclckdttoilb tO Tile EFes" |
ident if he wants them himself and that
they may he able to hold them in line for |
the men Of his choice.
*x#
Secretary Bonaparte through the Presi-
dent has settled tile Ahiskey labelsques-
tion. There has been fight for mouths
far tfs atart,rat. k;,,,, rf tho p,,.o I,,l .a I
DIugAct 50 that the dealers might kros
how TO alb ! whiskey. The distillersI and
the bottled-in-bond people claimed that
nothing was whiskey or could be
called by that name that had been
. t rough bonded warehouse The recti.
fiers Who make whiskey out Of anything |
from prune juice to high proof spirits, |