Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-06
REMARK OF POLITICIANS
Use of the Secretary in the Fight on
Foraker.
)HIOREPUBLICANS DISSATISFIED
Object to Being Drawn Into the Con-
test at This Time-Current Com
ment on the Situation.

What pity that Tafts prospects for
the presidency. so Inherently bright, should
be handicapped by the President."
This is a remark frequently heard in the
discussions of politicians. and 1t applies to
the action of President Roosevelt in using
Secretary Taft as weapon against Senator
Foraker, and also to the disadvantage sup
posed to accrue to Secretay Taft by the
Presidents efforts to entail the nomination
upon him. All politicians agree that the
projection Of Secretary Taft into the Presi-
dents quarrel with Senator Foraker is dis
dnctly detrimental to the Secretary in many
ways. 1t is Objectionable to the republicans
of Ohio. to begin with. who did not want
the contest precipitated upon them at this
time. and who are not going into it with
any heart or spirit.
1t is pointed out that the Ohio republicans
feel that 1t Is not their quarrel; 1t is Roose-
veIts and Foraker's, yet they will have to
stand the brunt of battle and suffer from
the political carnage certain to ensue. Sec
rotary Taft will stop a few stray bullets
himself. not intended for him, and which
never would be fired at him under normal
conditions.
Taft's Qualifications.
Politicians say that there is no man in
the entire list Of available candidates who
has more inherent and natural qualifications
for a successful candidate than Secretary
Taft. He has judicial mind and con-
sentative disposition. and these two quail
ties alone tot up a big score for him. He is
magnetic and lovabie as man and is slow
to make enemies. He Is determined With
out being rash, and Is brave without hrag-
gadocio. He has had valuable practical ex-
perience in dealing at first hand with prob
lens likely to be troublesome in the future
our relations with Cuba, the Philippines,
insular tariffs and the Panama canal. He
Is trained as an executive and is wise in
council.
which is well recognized by the American
people, it is contended by his friends that
he would make a strong race as a candidate
II let alone. They regret that he should be
weighted down with the gratuitous load of
the Foraker contest and. more burdensome
still. the effort of the President to foist him
upon the party as the Presidents favorite
In the latter respect, the shoe is likely to
pinch tightest
Resentment Of Republicans.
There is no question Of the profound re-
sentiment by republicans OF prominence OF
this effort of the President to choose for
the party, more than a year in advance Of
the convention, q candidate who is to have
the invaluable prestige OF the administra-
ton and the vast power of the federal pa
tronage. The honorable ambitions of other
republicans are thus discounted, it Is
claimed. and, the presidential nomination
made to take on the aspect of a personal
asset.
Secretary Taft, 1t Is said by some poli-
ticians, will be the innocent sufferer by this
resentment. which Is likely to grow in In
tensfty as the campaign progresses. No
one believes he Is responsible for the situa-
ton in which he Is placed, for he is not
the man to parade in borrowed plumage.
So 1t comes about that the regret is FREE
quently expressed that he could not have
been allowed to make his race in his own
way and in his own right.
1t is regarded as significant that Secre-
tary Taft has not FASTENED to don the
cloak the President holds out to him. He
has not declared himself that he will fight
the Presidents battle with Foraker In
Ohio. He has been over the field and he
has not opened his lips on the subject. His
Ohio friends have pointed out to him the
disadvantage Of the position in which the
President has placed him. and his we'll
wishers at large have shown him the OPP
position that will be raised against him In
the party.