The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-08
KNOX BOOM GROWING
Favorable Reception Given
1t Is General.
PENNSYLVANIA ALL ONE WAY
Regarded as Certain That Keystone
state VIII Send Delegation In
structed for Senator TO the National
COnVentiOn-His support Of ROOse-
welt Policies Point in lis Favor.

Politicians and others who keep in touch
with those undercurrents Of political sem
timent which are not always discernible
TO the general public are commenting on
the favorable reception given the Knox
Presidential boom launched by Represent
alive Burke. of Pittsburg, at a dinner to
Pennsylvania Congressman in Washing
ton last week. More than one such OBJ
server is impressed with the idea that
the suggestion of Senator KpOX's fitness
and availability for the Republican nomi-
nation is being received with a degree Of
cordially which indicates "A probability
of material support for him In the next
national convention.
OF course, Senator Knox says he is not
seeking the nomination. So does Secre-
| tary Taft and practically every one Of the
other tentative candidates whose names
might be mentioned. The Pennsylvania,
like Secretary Taft. has occupied q posi-
ton very close TO the White House and
he appreciates fully the cares aud re-
sponsibiitics that must be borne by the
occupant OF that desirable residence Mr.
Knox is not an active asprant for the
nomination, but that he would accept It
/ if it came to him is so certain as to admit
OF no discussion.
The straw votes" had In certain West
ern legislatures recently. taken i'm counec-
ton with other indications. such as the
comments Of the newspapers. have indi-
Gated that Secretary Taft is the most
popular OF those who have been talked Of
as Presidential probabilities from the Re
publican standpoint Those votes were
taken before Mr.. Burke suggested his Sen
atorial colleague for the party nominal
ton, however. Since then. the political
observers have noticed that Republican
newspapers in many parts of the country
have had kind things To say about Sena-
tor Knox, and, even at the risk OF making
inyid!ous comparisons. they assert that
the boom Of the Senator from Pennsyl-
vaui8 mas been more favOrably received
than any of the several others which have
been launched
state Delegation Certain.
PennsyIvanians say it Is practically GER
tain that the State convention which
elects delegates TO the national conven-
ton next year VIII instruct for Mr. Knox
There is little or no reason TO doubt that
this viii De the case. so that the matter
of the Senator's strength "a home may be
passed over, and consideration given the
broader and more important problem Of
what viii happen when his name is pre-
scented 10 the national convention. The
same cannot be said Of all the other can
diddtes. by any means. Already there Is
talk of an uprising against Vice President
Fairbanks at home. and the conditions iu
Ohio which may tend TO hinder the ef-
forts of Secretary Tafts friends to send
"a delegation unanimously favorable TO
him from that State are well known. The
proverbial political hoodoo which attaches
20 Pennsylvania IN national politics should
not be ignored Of course, but Mr.. Knox
supporters say that that can be overcome
this time, since conditions are altogether
different from those which have existed
heretofore
The opinion Is general that no man who
is not in complete accord with Roosevelt
ism can be nominated by the Republican
convention next year. This is one of the
reasons why political observers think that.
IN the final analysis. there viii be little
chance for Mr.. Fairbanks. whose star has
shoue with such unusual brilIancy for
some time past. Mr.. Knox, on the other
hand is pointed to as an out-and-out
Roosevelt man II is not impossible to
find persons who think that. az heart. the
former Attorney General IS not altogether
iu sympathy with some Of the Presidents
policies. but his friends say that his rec
ord can be used To- refute all arguments
along that line. His successful pr0secu-
ton OF the Northern Securities Company
may always be pointed TO as an illustra-
ton of his attitude toward illegal cOrpo-
ratiOus, even though all the Democrats
and even some Republicans, are ready to
urge that he failed to take advantage OF
many opportunities 20 proceed against
other combinations which were far more
dangerous, from the public standpoint.
than the railroad merger.
Popular Among Colleagues.
a point IN Mr.. Knox's favor is the
circumstance that many Senators and
Representatives from various parts of the
country are much impressed with the
idea of nominating him for the Presi-
dency. Some of these come from the
West and the Middle West. the support
of which sections may be decisive should
the national convention resolve itself into
a vigorous struggle. One prominent leg
islator who is counted on To push Mr.
Kuox's chances when the contest is
shaped UP a little more definitely is Sen
ator Crane. Of Massachusetts. Senator
Crane, himself physically small, quiet
unObtruslve, yet big mentally, like Sena-
tor Knox, is pleased with the prominence
which has been given the suggestion Of
the Pennsylvanian's nomination. The
Massachusetts Senator has been talked
Of as the Warwick OF the next campaign
on more than one recent occasion, and
should he go into the business Of Presi-
dent-making, his colleague from Pennsyl-
vania doubtless would be his favorite.
Notwithstanding his known admiration
for Secretary Taft.
The Knox movement has attained
much wider vogue than many people sup
pose The situation In Pennsylvania may
be passed over as being too certain 20
require comment, but aside from that it
IS known that letters favorable to the
senator's candidacy have come to Wash
ington from practically every State in the
Union Many of these were written BE-
lore the publication OF Representati.e
BuTke's speech at the Deemer dinner
which has had the effect Of bringing Sen
ator KnOX's name all the more promi-
Icuty before the country