The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-24
PRESIDENTIAL GAME
INTERESTING STUDY
Difficult Proposition to Pick 0us
Available Candidate for
Chief Magistrate.
WITH ROOSEVELT OUT
CONDITION is MIXED
Possibility of Hearst Running as
Independent Candidate to
Knife Bryan.
Special To The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
NEW YORK. June 23.-An interest
ing book could be made as 10 the
chances Of winner in the Presiden-
tiaI race of 1908. Perhaps never be
fore in the history Of this country has
there been situation moro highly
mixed. In making a book it would he
difficult to pick out Presidential entry
that any man could pronounce better
than = l0-to.1 shot. No matter what
the name mentioned. there is always a
big large-sized 'if' AT the end OF all
Of the discussions.
''Ifi President Roosevelt could only
be induced 10 accept the nomination
the Presidential bookmakcrs could prob
ably he induced 20 make Of him the
favorite in their calculations. But the
moment that Roosevelt is left out of
the calculations it would appear 10 be
almost any man S race. The entry Of
Senator Knox and the fact that his
:" boom is really seriously. considered
by the people of Pennsylvania, and con
seqnently 10. lesser degree perhaps IS
being seriously considered by the peo-
pie OF the country has had the effect
Of blanEeting the boom - of Secre-
tary Taft of Ohio. for the time being
al least.
On the Democratic side of the house
there is also great large-sized III;
In fact. there are TWO "ifs ''If'
Roosevelt Should be forced to accept
a denomination IL would appear to be
very doubtful as to whether even Will
lam Jennings Bryan could be induced
10 accept a nomination. For having
twice been n candidate, If Col. BRYAN
is ever again nominated he will natuT-
Il l.
he will stand n pretty good chance OF
being elected. lie will not care 10 GO
before the country rs perpetual
closer Three times beaten, IL would
he difficult 10 imagine a condition of
affairs which could ever bring about
his nomination at the hands Of the
Democratic party.
Would Hearst Knife Brysn2
With Roosevelt out of the race, Col.
Bryan might be tempted TO try con-
clusions with n man like Vice President
Fairbanks Of Indiana. or even Secre-
tary Taft But then there comes in
stiIl another "if. - If, = for instance,
Hearst would take the "tip" cabled
from the other side in the form of an
interview with Norman f. Mack. Ma
tional Committeeman from the State of
New York, just after visiting Richard
Croker at his home In Ireland. and sup
DpIi FINdO Niln dll OF NiS OIu-IlWe Gu
thusiasm. Bryan might still win even
against an extremely popular Republi-
can. But will Hearst play this kind
of politics! He is known TO be bitter
" opposed 10 men like Bailey of Texas
aud Tsggart OF Indiana. and he is anx-
ious 10 have tho Democratic party
purge itself of these offensive and Of
fcniing clements. And The verv pro.
cess of getting rid Of leaders like Tag
CART and Bailey might bring about n
condition of things-an interesting dis
ruption of the Democratic party where
no man could win, even against an al
legged Republican resctionary like Vice
President Fairbanks. If the Democrat
ic party is only big enough for Bailey
and Taggart and men OF that stamp
but is the Democratic party as big as
all tbatl And in the event OF Hearst
running Independent as against Bryan
it is difficult TO see how Bryan could
win. even under the most favorable of
circumstances.
Hence il will readily be seen that for
the first time. IN many years. al least,
it is extremely difficult TO tell who Will
be nominated by either of the great
parties. Sometimes II has been diff
cult TO forecast the action OF the Re
publican party year in advance
il has been equally difficult
to guess what the Democrats might do,
guess what Republican and Democratic
conventions will do--therc is an oppor-
tunity indeed for guessing who will he
The next President Of the United States.
Was ever the game of Presidential poll
ties as fascinating as this beforc'
Glancing Backward.
In 1908, for instance, while 1t might
nave been difficult one year in advance
% have picked out Judge Alton b, Par
lcr rs the man who would be rendered
1t least remote Presidential possibil.
ty hy tho action Of the st. Louis con-
-cntion IN making him> It's standard
)carcr. the choice of Theodore Rposc-
-elt by the Republicans was fore
gone conclusion. Aud four wears pre-
'joUS there was no serious opposition
@ either BRYAN i'm the Democratic or
icKinlcy in the Republican couveu.
ions. For all practical purposes, the
nomination of both of these men might
ave been conceded in 1900. The year
f the Chicago convention, when BRYAN
prang to the front with his Gross OF
sold speech. was more puZzhng
proposition, This was a year which
night have kept Presidential bookmak-
rs guessing. Nevertheless, shrewd OBJ
orvers could have predicted the nomi-
alton of William Mckinley by the
'cpublicans The thing that puzzled
hat wear IN the Republican camp was
ol so much VINO would be nominated
5 to what the platform would be. In
act. at no time did there appear TO be
cry much chance Of anybody being
ominated in opposition to Mckinley
pcakcr Reed had a following in New
.nglard, former Governor Morton had
following in New York State. but
neso movements were purely local. The
ational current was setting in good
MI strong toward Major Mckinley.
here WAS q thrce-cornercd agreement
mong the Ohio Republicans TO make