Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-06
THREE ACTIVE CANDIDATES
Hughes is Working the Reform Ele-
ment in His State.
TRYING TO KNIFE FAIRBANKS
Disquieting Rumors From His Own
in the Badger State.

There is something doing in politics in
three statesmen York, Indiana and Wis
consin-and in each state it has a bearing
on the presidency. The contest for the re-
publican nomination is on, and it's fight
for blood
Gov. Hughes of New York is candidate
for the nomination for the presidency. He
is playing a definite game, with deter
mined and specific purpose. His policy is
well defined and his hopes are high. He
has hard fight before him and is going
into it with determination to give no quar-
ter. His opponents are men who will have
to be crushed before they can be dealt
with; there is no such thing as compromise
between them and their policies and Hughes
and his policies. Gov. Hughes thinks he
can destroy them; at any rate he is going
to try. If he succeeds he believes his
chances for the presidential nomination will
be superior to those of any other man now
in the field.
Hughes Also Reformer.
Gov. Hughes is copying Roosevelt in his
public and political policy. He is playing
to the reform element in the state and over
their heads to the reform sentiment of the
country. He affects independence of politi-
not only is independent of them, but ag-
gressively so, and seeks them out to insult
them. Every time he puts an affront upon
boss the country hears of it.
Gov. Hughes is attacking corporations in
the state as Roosevelt has assaled them in
the nation. He would throw limitations
about them and control them. At this
moment he is urging drastic legislation for
state control of public utilities Public
service stocks the New York board yes
terday and TODAY reflected in lower uuota
lions his propaganda.
Gov. Hughes is a preacher and takes the
same texts that Roosevelt expounds-mor-
ality in politics, public Office and finance
He is great moralist. and contends for
reforms. to meet the demands of an awak-
~ened public conscience. And sthere you
have the. keynote of his campaign for the
nOmina tion-dependence upon the awak-
ened public conscience and determine
ton to harp upon that string. The
insurance investigation made him gov
ernor. He expects that his insistence upon
other reforms will make him President.
Every time there is a reveal ton, such
as the disclosures by the Hartman inves-
tigation, Gov. Hughes sees future capital
for his campaign. He will use them at the
proper time for texts to point moral. He
realizes that President Roosevelt will have
to step down from the rostrum of the great
public teacher and moralst when he goes
out of the White House: Gov. Hughes is
fitting himself to take his place, confident
that the country still needs and will appre-
ciate the work of the teacher.
The Knife in Indiana.
In the past two or three days there have
been disquieting rumors in the Fairbanks
camp. Somebody has been jabbing at the
Fairbanks boom, and there are fears that
one of the blows may land and make a
dangerous slit in it. The blows are being
dealt by ''some one familiar with the
premises as they say in the police court,
meaning that he is being knitted in his
own house.
Mr. Fairbanks was advised from Indiana
last week in plain words that there was a
movement to do him up, and that it
was being facilitated, if not initiated, by
men who have every reason to be friendly
to him-at least, to- the extent of keeping
hands off. He was told that the moment
it appeared that the campaign against him
might be successful there We're others in
Indiana ready to jump the reservation AND
join the hostiles.
Congress had not adjourned three hours
before Mr.. Fairbanks was on the train
speeding for home. Ostensibly the trip was
to enable him to give reception to the
members of the legislature, now about tC
adjourn. He will hold receptions tonight
and tomorrow night and will meet politi
clans from all over the state. He will re.
main in the state all summer and will de-
vote his time to efforts to stamp out the fire
that has been started in his rear.
Mr.. Fairbanks knows the conspirators
and feels fortunate in being warned in time
The knowledge does not add to his respect
for human nature, but will sharpen his
vigilance as a politician. Their object, OF
course, is to hamstring in the running by
appearing to have a division in his OWL
state.
The Game in Wisconsin.
There is to be stirring contest in Wis.
consin over the United States senatorshir
to fill the vacancy occasioned by the retire
ment of Senator Spooner. An attempt to
crush La Follette-yes, again-will be made
The resignation of Senator Spooner comes
at an unpropitiouS time for La Toilette, as
his hold on the legislature is being contest
ed by Gov. DAVIDSON. La Toilette, Of
course, will endeavor to have a man friend
ly to his own faction elected to the Senate
and the other side will try to defeat him.
This fight will also squint toward contro
of the state later for the naming of the
delegation to tpe national convention. The
Old-line republicans in Wisconsin are dead
set on having a conservative delegation t.
the convention. The La Toilette faction
want a radical delegation. The senatorial
choice will be a trial heat.
Some republicans think that victory Of
boom for Spooner. He is frequently talked
about for the presidency, and recurrence o.
the gossip Is expected now that he is out o.
the Senate, and especially since his an
nouncement that he will not take a retainer
from corporations.