Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-12-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
trrom our Regular correspondent. }

| Washington, D. o., December l.
Quite sensation was created in the
political world on Friday when the
President stated to pro ninent bank
er of PENNSYLVANIA, who told him that
the people of that State wanted him
for another term. THAT cannot be-.
cannot serve beyond my present
term. am grateful to the American
people for their kindly feeling toward
me, but somebody else must carry on
the work." The conviction is grow
Ing among the national committeeman
of the Republican party, in session in
Washington this week, that this state.
ment is fnal and the belief is current
that An official statement will be made,
to this sffecr, before many more weeks.
This conviction as it spreads leaves
some of the committeeman without
anchorage. Few ale willing to risk
the chance of falling out with the ad.
ministration, and some have recourse
to the entirely safe course of declaring
for Mr.. Roosevelt despite his personal
attitude. But this conviction is cause
for infinite relief among those politic-
ians who at heart wish some other
candidate, but who fear the conse.
Quences of aligning themselves with
the faction which opposes Mr.. Roose-
welt. Thus it will be seen clearly that
the Republican brethren do not dwell
together in peace and harmony.
Evidence has already been given
that the army nominations sent to
tae Senate by the President are not to !!
be permitted to go through without
question by that body. Protests have
been filed against confirmation of |
Brig. Gen. j. B. Aleshire, to be quar-.
tsrmaster general, and against Brig. |
Gen. William w. Witherspoon. of the
War College, on the ground that they
have been advanced over the heads of |
officers ahead of them in rank. The
real facts in the case are that Senator |
Hopkins, of Illinois, has a constituent
in Chicago who is endeavoring to palm
of on the government batch of
horses pronounced unfit by Gen. Ale
shire who is an expert in these matters.
Hence the hold up of his promotion by
the Illinois Senator.
Therecall of Viscount Aoki and the
information received at the State De.
partment from our. Ambassador at
Tokyo that baron Kogoro Takahlra
will In all probability succeed Viscount
AOki as Japanese Ambassador at
Washington, have created no little
sensation IN diplomatic and adminis-
trati0n circles. Baron Takahira g
appointment would undoubtedly be
acceptable to this government. and he
is on very good terms with President
Roosevelt. Some effort has been
made to make it appear that Am baesa-
dor Aoki's return to Japan is a symp-
tom of friction In the relations BET ween
the United States and japan but this
is treated as absurd by the admins
tration. While the real reasons for
the recall are not as yet perfectly un.
derstood, 1t is 9 ute certain this coun-
ty has had no hand in the matter.
the recall Is an affair of the japanese
diplomatic service. and its moti1 must
) be sought for in the purposes and
methods OF Japanese diplomacy.
The Presidents message to Congress
excited little interest or comment, but
! one opinion seems to be universal and
that is that it was entirely too long
and it is considered somewhat signif
cant that but one newspaper in the
city of New York carried the message
in full.
Announcement was made in Wash
ington on Thursday night that the
citizens of Cleveland, Ohio, are more