Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-28
SHAW AND THE PRESIDENCY

Des Moines Capital.-Within less
than month Leslie NJ Shaw will re-
tire from the cabinet where he has
served five years or more as secretary
of the treasury. There is little criti-
cism of his work There are none who
will not admit that he has made great
Wall street five years without panic
or disturbance, it must be admitted
that he is man of brains.
1t is not yet known what Secretary
Shaw will do. 1t is known, however.
that he has declined several great Of
fers from business institutions located
in New York. Some will say he de-
clined these positions because he in
tends to return to Iowa to reside in
order to be in position to be a candi-
date for the presidency. But he may
have other reasons. He may not de.
sire to get into the middle Of the
stream where he would have to fight
the current, such as would be the case
if he engaged in business in the me.
tropolis.
There is no reason why the people
Of Iowa should not give him welcome
if he should return. He has done moth.
ing to the discredit of the state. His
hands are clean If he shall re-loca tie
at Denison, certainly the majority OF
the people will be glad.
There are those that believe that if
Secretary Shaw were backed by a
strong delegation from his own state
he could be the republican nominee
for the presidency in 1908. They rea
son that if radical man is to be elect
ed president to succeed Roosevelt such
radical will be a democrat; but if a
republican is chosen he must be a
conservative. Secretary Shaw is rank
ed among the conservatives. Secre
tary Taft is ranked as a radical, in the
class with La Toilette and others. Vice
/ President Fairbanks is practically the
only avowed candidate for the repub
| lican nomination He will have the
earnest support of Indiana. Fairbanks
and Shaw represent the same ele
ments and their support would come
| from the same direction. Of course
| it is conceded that if President Roose
welt will consent to accept another
nomination, he will be nominated by
reclamation, and will be elected.
| liz QSlllOCldIlS patty, Al uulISS
would stand some show of electing
the next president New York is once
more doubtful state. The south is
supposed to be solid. No one could
predict the result in Massachusetts
With the solid south, New York, Mas
sachusetts and one Of the mountain
states, the democrats could elect the
next president.
The year 1908 will be big with his
tory The campaign will be peculiar
Party lines will be formed over again
There are those who believe the so
called progressives will not have much
power in the next national convention
Some men say the next national repub
lican convention will be composed O
republicans who do not agree witt
the democrats on public questions. 1
is urged that Secretary Taft's posi-
ton on the tariff question would make
his nomination against Bryan an i'm
possibility because on the leading is
sue they would be standing together
1 Senator Foraker and Knox at thu
! present time are not seriously consid
cred in relation to the presidency
/ The same may be said Of Secretar.
Root. Speaker Joe Cannon could max;
i a serious fight for the presidency j
he were little younger.
j Is there any reason why the repub
i licans of Iowa should not present tn,
name of Secretary Shaw for the presi
tdency in 1908?