The San Francisco call., 1907-03-24

The President does not want a third
term. He has said so repeatedly, and
his good faith cannot be doubted with
out imputing base motives to him.
But there has been such widespread
third term movement that the Presi-
dent will have TO face an alternative
pretty soon unless he can keep out of
the fracas aItogether-and that is un-
thinkable: He must either remain
silent. and thereby tacitly approve the
third-term movement or he must in
dlcate clearly the person who he
thinks would best execute the policies
that he has inaugurated-
Already Roosevelt has done much TO
place Secretary Taft forward. but he
will have to do more If the big Ohioan
is TO be universally recognized as the
administrations choice Under nor
NAL conditions it might be fatal TO an
aspirarlt TO be known as the choice of
an outgoing President But these are
abnormal times, and the man who is
supported by Theodore Roosevelt for
the Presidency Will have certain fac
torss of strength which may put him
far in the lead of other candidates.
The situation in Ohio is such as to
coeroe William II. Taft into running
be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
but this may not be vacant in time for
him to dodge into it and thus avoid the
race for the White House. If Chief
Justice Fuller does not retire within a
few months Ii will be too late. Secre-
tary Taft will have been stripped and
groomed and weighed in for the sprint.
Diametrically opposed to President
Roosevelt and most of his policies is
Joseph B. Foraker of Ohio. as dan
gerous an antagonist as even the
strenuous Roosevelt could desire.
Senator Foraker finds himself, after
many years of hard luck. at the head
of the Ohio machine. with an expert
fireman in the person of his coll
league, Senator Charles Dick. Proper
ly managed, this machine is capable of
working wonders in the Presidential
game. II landed Mckinley in the
White House. made a statesman of
Mark Hanna. elevated Dick to the Sem
ate. punished insurgents at will and
killed off all opposition except that
of Joseph p. Foraker. Him IL could
not kill, and finally he has mastered IT..
What will he do with It? The an
swer TO this question depends upon the
skill with which he manages his con-
trivance and the skill with which his
enemies cooperate in trying to knock
1t TO pieces. His chief enemies are
Theodore Roosevelt, William II. Taft
and Theodore e. Burton. Roosevelt
need not be discussed in this connec-
ton. Taft is not in himself deadly
foe of Foraker. but If he is to be the
Miles Standish for whom John Alden
pleads. Ohio may turn her face toward
him and force Foraker to do lot of
ardent wooing. If Ohio gazes too
fondly at Roosevelt and says. why
don't you speak for yourself, John?" 1t
will be a court5hip worth going miles
TO see. Foraker will not give UP un-
less he actually receives the ice-coid
mitten from his inamorata.
Representative Burton figures in the
case as the fidus Achates of Taft. The
. thing he desires more than all else,
except the Presidency, is TO see Taft
President. Burton is big enough to
be President himself. but people don't
know it. as a rule and therefore to a
majority OF the people it is not so.
Burton is easily the ablest man in the
House OF Representatives, and If the
country does not know IL. he does. He
is clean, strong. Industrious, broad and
honest. His district in Ohio has stood
by him through thick and thin. and
gradually his high abilities have i'm
pressed the State.