The Washington herald., 1907-12-31

AAAN-AN--N
iii the Republican national convention
viii meet in Chicago, it is the opinion
OF the wiser political observers here that
UP 10 this time il is anybody's fight.
Some work has been done in different
localities, but there has been no such gen
eral plan Of organization in the interest
OF any candidate as was perfected and IN
successful working order six months be-
fore the convention OF 1886 that nomi-
mated Mckinley.
NJ. A Hanna, in charge of the M3!Sin-
ley campaign, had a working organiZa-
ton in every Congressional district in the
country The fruits of his early and sue
oessful organization were seen later in
the ease with which the Mckinley men
walked away with the honors-
In addition to the local managers in
each district Mr.. Hanna had travelling
agents. who went about the country keep
ing tab on the local leaders and seeing
that they stayed put"
The present condition Of apparent in
activity will not continue long If the signs
here count for anything. The Taft or
ganization was held back, Il Is said, at
the suggestion of the President who be-
lieved that six months was long enough
time to carry campaign and insure that
enthusiasm would not wane.
Vice President Busy.
Vice President Fairbanks has had his
neutenants travelling about the country
for several months sounding sentiment.
but those OF the opposition who have been
keeping tab on the movements Of the
''gum-shoe brigade" insist that no great
progress has been made for him, outside
Of one or two localities. 1t is reported
that ne has q busy local organization in
Colorado, in Kentucky. and in Oklahoma
The fruits of his labors may be seen
in scattering delegates from each of these
States. He had the nucleus OF an Organi-
cation in Missouri. but the Taft people.
It is said. got into the State and headed
il off The Fairbanks manager, a former
Indiana man, now residing in Kansas
City. told the Vice President. in Wash
ington at the time the Republican Nation
al Committee met here, that il would be
impossible to get any delegates in that
State.
Some months before" said this man.
u had told the Vice President that L be-
votes. at least for him, but the develop
ments of the last few weeks convinced
me that he could not get any. because
Neidrnghaus. our State chairman, ard
Senator Warner were bothing working
necessarily for Taft and had the game
framed Up for him." And this same man,
while admitting that Tart would get the
Missouri delegation, thought he would not
be nominated.
Organization to Be Started.
Immediately after the holidays the work
of organization viii begin in earnest The
pace set by the Taft managers VIII be
followed or exceeded by that of the Knox
followers.
The Senator from Pennsylvania has
been holding his boomers in leash. If re-
ports are to be credited. He will turn
them loose after the turn of the New
Year, and the Knox boom is likely to
be a livelier political entity than any of
its rivals now suspect. The Senator s
friends have ample funds for organiza-
ton work, and he appears 70 have a more
compact following in his own State than
any OF the other candidates.
Speaker Cannon's boomers Will begin
after the New Year. Secretary Tafts
friends realize one source Of weakness
for their favorite in the fact that the
reported progress he has made thus far
has served 10 concentrate the fire Of all
the other candidates upon him. 1t is now
the field against Taft. and one new fea-
tUre of the Taft management that will
be observable from this time forward
viii be the disposition to cultivate friend
" relations with the other booms The
Taft managers will not overlook the sec
ond choice delegates notwithstanding the
fact that as a general proposition. they
admit that the Secretary must win on one
Of the first three ballots or the game is
up.
Plan to Drive Hard.
The plan Of the Taft campaign from
now on will be TO drive hard Il will be
bandwagon movement, and everybody
viii be invited to get aboard. That is the
real significance Of the declarations of
State committees, which Of course, have
no binding effect but serve TO show an
apparent drift toward the big Secretary
Of War. In Kansas. for example, there
have been two such declarations. The
weak spot in the Taft campaign appears
friends viii give it attention at once.
Hughes seems to be strong there and
Knox rapidly growing; and yet the Secre-
tary's friends are not willing TO concede
that he is not stiH far in the lead.
He is strong IN Connecticut. they say;
has a better change in Massachusetts,
than any other candidate, and in New
Hampshire Frank S. Streeter member of
the national committee, is doing very
good work for the Taft candidacy There
is a dsquieting story that the activities
OF Winston Churchill for Taft has alien
ated large number OF Republicans. In
Vermont Senator Proctor will have much
10 say about the makeup Of the delega-
ton A year ago he seemed friendly with
the Fairbanks boom. Hughes is making
great headway in Vermont, according to
the reports that reach the Capital, and
one feature Of the Vermont situation that
worries the Taft managers IS the reported
unpOpulRrity Of the President in the
Green Mountain State.
Michigan DebatabIe Ground.
There is at present disposition in
Michigan to mount the Taft band wagon.
But it is conceded that Cannon will have
two or more delegates; that Knox viii
get the northern peninsula in all proba-
bility, and Fairbanks may have one dis
trict. Wisconsin is 10 be the scene of a
struggle between the Taft and La Fol-
lette followers. There was q time when
ex-senator Spooner was expected to take
the lead In the Taft movement in the
Badger State. but. when asked about II
In Washington yesterday. Mr. Spoonsr