The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-29
THE PARTIES GETTING LINED
UP FOR THE BIG BATTLE
Walkers Review of Presidential Politics as Seen
From Washington -Skirmishing for the
ConventionS---As to Candidates.
tMan Special to the Advertiser.)

WASHINGTON, D. c., December Ii.
The next President of the United
States will be selected June is next
at. chicago-probably. The qualifying
phrase is put in for several reasons.
First it is worth while because the
convention may not nominate a can
zAidate for President on the third day
Moore Roosevelt was nominated on the
third day. But it was all sewed up
beforehand and there was no contest
for the nomination.
1t may take but one day after the
preliminary organization at Chicago,
where the Republican convention is to
assemble June Is next, or if the race
is holly contested and no one can
easily get majority, it may take two.
three. or four days or more.
Again probably" should be used.
because there is just a chance that the
next President will be a Democrat. 1t
Is hardly more than a chance, for
the dominant party is still strong and
aggressive, and no man can take a
pencil in hand and figure intelligently
how a Democratic majority in the
electoral college is possible for Mr..
Bryan, now, as it looks, assured of
the Democratic nomination. Things
may change. The Republicans may
get into a big row. The nominee may
not be sufficiently identified with the
Roosevelt regime to suit the people,
and it is recognized that in such an
event several Republican strongholds
might capitulate. But Republican
conventions are very wise in weighing
all the conditions and selecting the
most available man without regard to
fractional or other alliances.
There has been a whirl of talk and
gossip in washington the past week,
incident to the settling upon Chicago
as the Republican convention city.
The National Committee sat here two
'days-Friday and Saturday-and the
kpresence of its members in town gave
rise TO volume of political discus
sion. The meeting was outwardly
Harmonious. although there were nu-
merous incidents to whet the interest.
THE DEMOCRATS.
Now the Democratic National Com
mittee has a turn and before the pres
ent week is over 1t will choose the
time and place for holding it's Ma
tional Convention. Some of the Dem |
ocratic committeeman talk about hold |
ing the convention before the Repub- |
lican convention meets, because of a |
supposed sentimental advantage. They |
say the Republicans. under Roosevelt, I
have appropriated their principles and |
that they propose to lead off in the |
reaffirmation of those principles to the
country. For many years, ever since
the Republicans returned to power,
they have been holding their nation
Al conventions first, Democrats have
been trailing. 1t is doubted whether
the Democrats now will try to make
the Republicans trail, although they
could do So, of course, by meeting
first. and the Republicans would have
to endorse & great deal that the DEM
socrats have declared for, because the
Republicans are now in full possession
of many Democratic doctrines.
The difficulty is that Democratic
convention would have to meet very
Aafly to precede the Republican con-
vention- June 10 is early for a Repub-
iican convention. In 1904 the Repub-
1icans met at Chicago June 21 1t {
might happen that Congress would {
not adjourn till late in May and that '
would embarrass the Democrats with
an early convention on their hands, as Y
q considerable portion OF the Senators &
and members will want to attend. t
THE REPUBLICANS. Is
The Republican COMMITTEES had a big
contest over its convention city and !
therein was most of whatever polit-
icaI significance attached to the com 4
mittee meeting Up till Thursday it e
was taken for granted that Kansas h
City would win. 1t has the big audi 8
torium. capable OF seating $4,000 peo- n
pie. 1t also hung up a good purse, {
although some question was raised
about the character of the fund, main b
" the promises of members of a Tiger. &
Club. composed of young Republicans Il
Of Kansas City. Speaker Cannon and Il
Vice President Fairbanks. and, pre- II
Senator Knox, were in favor n
IF Chicago All at once the tagging n
1ause of Chicago as a Republican con- Il
vention city was revived. A number T
If prominent politicians held a meet n
ng quietly in the room of Senator II
Dick of Ohio. The Senator, while not o,
member of the National Committee, -
vas regarded as looking after the in
erests of Senator Foraker, as Pres >,
dsAntiaI candidate. Senator Hemen- 80
way of Indiana is not a member of =
he committee, but he was present at a.
he meeting and is regarded as the -
representative of Vice President Fair :
'anks. Senator Crane OF Massachu- -
etts. who is a member of the COM y
nittee, is the next friend of the Knox ~
residential boom. He was the head 10
nd front of the effort to get the con- 81
ention to Chicago. but was ably aid 10
d and abetted by Representative IN
rank o. Lowden of Illinois, the next OF
riend of the Cannon Presidential st'
DOM. There were other long-headed tn
len present at the meeting and the tic
aEpelsa Tor Chicago aaa also for at